We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.
Dave Ramsey – Author
This quote has been phrased one way or another for decades – but the message itself doesn’t change. Especially now, with social media, buying items to have something to show online has turned into a competition. Many social media personalities have built careers on this premise – but should you follow in their footsteps?
The truth is that spending money to impress can be a devastating cycle – both financially and emotionally. You’re ruining your credit and creating external loci of worthiness. Simply put – you’re letting unimportant people dictate your value – and that’s a mindset that is always headed for disaster.
Give yourself 24 hours of thinking time
Reports show that buyers spend roughly USD 300 a month on impulse buys. That’s a pretty substantial amount considering the current economic state. This means that most people give themselves a slight time interval between seeing the product and placing the order. This small window often helps reset your frame of mind and lets you figure out if you want that item or not.
Unsubscribe and unfollow from different social media platforms
Is social media your happy pill? Blocking off temptation can help you recenter yourself and get in the right mindset. If you are constantly exposed to people and products that make you want to go out and buy things you do not need – then you will have a harder time resisting the urge. Going on an internet blackout can help you distance yourself from the idea – but try going one step further. Unsubscribe from email notifications, unfollow groups and uninstall your shopping apps from your phone. Make it harder for yourself to have the opportunity to buy, and you should be able to reduce the chances of it happening.
Declutter your stash
Compile all the items you have bought for the sake of impressing people. Ask yourself this – how often do you get to use these items? Now try to tally their overall cost and equate that to how many hours you work to earn the amount. You’ll be surprised how these items equate to weeks or even months of work. This is your time spent on things you rarely use or have no significance in your life.
Who are you trying to impress?
Take a good look at yourself and ask this important question – who are you trying to impress? Why do you find their opinion important? How does their feedback make you feel – and how does it affect your mindset in the long run? You will find that in answering these questions – you will find yourself facing the inevitable fact that all your efforts really have no long-term impact on how you value your life. The attention you typically get from strangers is incredibly fleeting – and it would be an exercise in futility to keep chasing it.
Retail therapy and the positive feedback of people may feel invigorating at first – but its overall impact on your life will eventually be a net negative. Note that it’s perfectly fine to ask for help from friends. If you find yourself way over your head trying to win the approval of strangers, good friends can help reel you in and keep your expectations realistic.
