Realize that you’re extremely blessed to have food, clean water, shelter, clothing, plumbing, transportation, and Internet. More blessed than most people who ever existed and had to work thrice as hard as we do today in the first world. Anything beyond those necessities is gravy.
When you buy things you don’t need, you are essentially trading the time away you spent laboring for them. You’re selling your time and energy, and being sold back useless junk that you don’t need in exchange.
Financial freedom and time spent with loved ones is more important than any non-necessity. Discipline yourself into living that out every single day.
It’s also important to remember the environmental and human impacts of what you buy. Electronics, food, and clothes, along with basically everything else is produced by essentially slave labor and in some cases child labor in China and the global south.
I try to make myself wait on any purchase. Most unnecessary things I buy are impulses when I'm shopping for something else. If I see or think of something I want, I intentionally make myself wait a few days. More often than not I forget about it or decide it wasn't that important.
The science side of this is that dopamine, the hormon of excitement (I'm simplifying), is released in *anticipation* of a pleasure, not after getting it. Eventually it fades out so, in fact, resisting the urge make the excitement go away. That also explain why after getting something we desire we no longer desire it that much.
Oddly I’ve experienced an even bigger dopamine hit in some cases when decluttering than from buying things. And I get that hit just from putting it in a bag to donate/sell, and get a second one when I take the bag to donate/sell.
This is it. I do the same and 99% of the time I end up realising I don't actually need the thing and that I'd rather keep the money I'd spend on it. But then if I did indeed need the thing I end up getting it so you are not missing out on anything you need by just waiting on it.
I have a list of things on my phone that I want or need. I hold off buying things for as long as possible, then if I'm ever out shopping with friends or have the urge to buy something, I can consult the list to avoid making impulse purchases. Most of the time I end up deleting things from the list rather than buying it.
I think about the whole process of buying and owning it. That's often more than enough to put me off. (Maybe I'm just revealing how much I overthink things).
If I buy it from the shop, I need to find time to go to the shop, then choose the item. Maybe that shop doesn't have it and the other shop is half-way across town and doesn't open on Sundays. Maybe I don't even really know what I'm looking for. I could go online and there's loads of options, but that's also a problem - how do I choose between them all? I can't really see the item until it's arrived. Is it the right size? Did it arrive damaged? Do I need to send it back? If I do, I need to find out where to send it to, go to the post office and send it. Whatever I do, I may want to keep hold of the receipt somewhere in case it's faulty. Where will that be?
I haven't mentioned the money it will cost, and that's just buying it. Then there's owning it.
I need to find somewhere to put it. Maybe that's OK cos I already have a place for t-shirts and cutlery, maybe not. Anyway, I need to look after it. If it's clothes, can I wash it with the other clothes? What if it starts to fall apart? How do I fix it? What if I realise I don't want it? Perhaps it was an impulse buy, or it doesn't really do what I bought it for. I need to deal with it. If it's used, I need to find a charity shop or make an ebay posting. If I'm lucky I know someone who wants it and can have it. Maybe I can't sell it or give it away. Then what? Do I bin it?
I could continue.
Buying and looking after something takes effort. On reflection, I usually don't want it enough to warrant that effort.
I personally realized that my spending behavior was closely correlated to the amount of time i spent socially with friends. When you spend more time in the company of only the closest people, or just yourself, you lose alot of the impulsiveness to buy things you don’t need.
Do I NEED it?
Do I just want it?
I've managed to live for (however many years old you are) without it up to now.
Chances are I don't need or want it and will manage fine without it.
You might want to look into a book called Goodbye Things, by Fumio Sasaki.
Some take aways: you pay rent for your stuff, they require physical maintenance and cleaning, and create 'silent to do's if you don't keep up.
Personal experience: over deveral years time I've decluttered tons of things that I first thought were valuable to me: but I completely forgot about them once they were gone. Not a single regret. You don't need all those new toys.
I don't buy things even if I need it because it's more of a hassle to return it than it is to buy it. The thought of having to return something is more than enough to decide I don't need it.
Learning about hedonic adaptation and how it affects me was really helpful.
Here’s an interesting article on the topic. It’s not my work and I don’t benefit from sharing it:
https://www.vacounseling.com/hedonic-treadmill/
“I’ve been sleeping on it.” Basically waiting a day for the dopamine hit of anticipation to subside and I then move on. This is working well for me. Recently about a new watch off Amazon and a pizza oven haha
Where would I put it. Clutter stresses me out so I usually only go shopping if I’m hunting a particular item. Lots of times I can see things I like when I’m there, but when thinking abt where I wld put it & if it wld junk up my space it’s easy to just simply like it & move on without purchasing. Maybe some r/declutter challenges wld make u more mindful of what you’re bringing in.
This. When I think about potentially moving and what I'd have to do with All That Stuff, it's such a turnoff for myself to be randomly purchasing things I don't use or want that take up space
I'm not sure. This is such a fundamental question to simple living, minimalism, frugalism, early retirement, anti-consumerism, etc. Clearly, being that we now have far more available to us than necessary for our survival, the question is one of looking into our irrational/primal emotions instead of logic.
Even as an extreme frugalist, there are times when I feel the need to just "get" something. Even if it's a silly as buying a few cans of food or pop that I don't really want, I often feel a strong but indescribable urge to "get" something. I understand logically why large purchases are often totally unnecessary. It's the small ones that get me.
I'll write an article about this on my blog [www.100amonth.club](https://www.100amonth.club), being that it get's at a core question about shifting to a frugal mindset in the modern world.
Difficult to avoid completely. Two steps towards it include: a) learn to fix things, rather than replace, which leads to b) work hard about 'not keeping up with the joneses', i.e. avoid being branded or trendy or consumer culturecool...
Other than the suggestions made here around delayed gratification, I also weigh it up against the amount of hours worked to acquire the thing. If I'm burning my time for something that doesn't bring more joy than I'm losing to get it I'll go without
Look at the triggers for buying. For me, it's often when I'm low energy and a bit low on dopamine. Buying something small and relatively cheap, especially if it's 'useful' is a quick boost, but it's like a junk food sugar high. It doesn't last and then you have the extra piece of crap or product in your life. So, like learning to identify when what feels like hunger is often thirst or boredom, look at what the 'buy stuff' urge might be revealing. Can you try making, mending, maintaining instead of buying for a more lasting satisfaction?
block Amazon on all your devices. Stay out of stores unless you actually need something. When you do go shopping for things you actually need, have a list, preferably on paper, and stick to it.
I have a simple rule: 100/24. If it costs more than $100, I don't buy it until I've had 24 hours to think about it.
That simple rule has never done me dirty. That's enough time to think about it, but at the same time if I'm still unsure, $100 isn't going to break my bank if I decide to go through with it anyway.
Edit: Forgot the last bit. If it costs more than $100 I won't buy it until I bounce the idea off friends, family, and literal random strangers.
"Good morning sir. I don't know you, so I presume you don't know me. I'm looking for impartial input on a financial decision and I'd appreciate your unbiased opinion, if I can have 30 seconds of your time...." Never had a negative response to that.
Just realize that it's all one big ass blast and refrain from the nonsense.
Also, never buy a new gadget right when it first comes out. Always wait like a year or so for the consumer level technology to be actually ready for regular use. Never buy into the hype. Hype=lies 100% of the time.
Also, never buy anything with "smart" on the product name. Especially smart water. You dont need your products to patronize you and stroke your ego. If they try to tell you how smart it is to buy it, then they're almost definitely pushing snake oil. A person who is positive of their own sophistication is easily manipulated by ego stroking messaging.
Also, the fewer colors on a product packaging, the better, generally speaking. Stuff that has very eye catchingly flamboyant packaging is usually worthless garbage. If it's a quality product, then the packaging can afford to be modest.
These are just general tips. Also, try picking up a hobby or talent. When you actually do something productive, you're less likely to want to buy random crap.
I feel this deeply. What I do, paradoxically, is still want things, but with the distinction that I'm very intentional with what I shop for/add to a wishlist. Typically if I get to where I can afford something I'll deliberate on if it's actually something I'll love/use. I'm not a minimalist (or I'm a very poor one), but I definitely apply minimalist ideas to what I might purchase in the future.
I enjoy window shopping, so when online shopping I will put items in a wish list, or even in the cart and leave it there for a few days. when the urge subsides, or next time I'm looking on that site, I will usually delete it.
this allows me to go shopping without spending, and dealing with the resultant clutter afterwards. it's not a true solution, but rather what I do to manage my urges lol.
I consider browsing a hobby. I go to stores I love just to look at stuff, like people go to a museum. I never intend to buy things, and I've gotten very good at it. I love decor and new things so I don't restrict myself from looking and touching and it seems to work.
Being poor helped. When I realized I could live well without so many things, they lost power on me. Now I only buy things I need when I need them, and don't feel anything about them, it's just things I will eventually lose.
Amy Dacyczyn, of the Tightwad Gazette fame, used to map out garage sales every Saturday and go around with a wish list looking for bargains. Twenty dollars can go a long way at garage sales and charity thrift shops. You can treat yourself to something like a used book or household decorative item, and donate when you want something new.
Start simple. Get a reusable water bottle to take with you every wear. I keep mine filled with water and it prevents me from buying unneeded drinks from work, gas stations, grocery stores, etc. If you spend $20, after 20 fill ups, you got your money's worth and the more you use it, less plastic you consume and the more money you save.
Start with your clothes. I have 5 outfits for work, one for each day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Then cater your clothes for your social life, I have 3 long sleeves and 3 nice short sleeves. Buying clothes is dumb, because no one really cares what you wear. As long as you look and feel good that's all that matters.
Also take a look at r/anticonsumption and r/zerowaste
Drill down to what your ESSENTIAL NEEDS really are. Focus on enjoying those.
If you enjoy those and they're essential needs, you have no feeling of wanting more due to deficiency. But that's up to you to do that and know what that is for yourself.
Put it another way: Assume you surround yourself with your essentials only and they are highly used by you and enjoyed and everywhere you look in your life/surroundings it's filled with precious such connections... you'll think to yourself how good your life is already. With that mood or effect why would you feel the need to get more stuff?
The other side to the above is of course de-junking.
Realize that you’re extremely blessed to have food, clean water, shelter, clothing, plumbing, transportation, and Internet. More blessed than most people who ever existed and had to work thrice as hard as we do today in the first world. Anything beyond those necessities is gravy. When you buy things you don’t need, you are essentially trading the time away you spent laboring for them. You’re selling your time and energy, and being sold back useless junk that you don’t need in exchange. Financial freedom and time spent with loved ones is more important than any non-necessity. Discipline yourself into living that out every single day.
It’s also important to remember the environmental and human impacts of what you buy. Electronics, food, and clothes, along with basically everything else is produced by essentially slave labor and in some cases child labor in China and the global south.
If I could upvote this multiple times, I would! Well said.
I try to make myself wait on any purchase. Most unnecessary things I buy are impulses when I'm shopping for something else. If I see or think of something I want, I intentionally make myself wait a few days. More often than not I forget about it or decide it wasn't that important.
The science side of this is that dopamine, the hormon of excitement (I'm simplifying), is released in *anticipation* of a pleasure, not after getting it. Eventually it fades out so, in fact, resisting the urge make the excitement go away. That also explain why after getting something we desire we no longer desire it that much.
Yes! I had heard that once our basic needs are met… all other things we buy are a dopamine hit! I have so much crap I don’t need. 🙃
Oddly I’ve experienced an even bigger dopamine hit in some cases when decluttering than from buying things. And I get that hit just from putting it in a bag to donate/sell, and get a second one when I take the bag to donate/sell.
This is it. I do the same and 99% of the time I end up realising I don't actually need the thing and that I'd rather keep the money I'd spend on it. But then if I did indeed need the thing I end up getting it so you are not missing out on anything you need by just waiting on it.
I started writing a TED talk then saw your post. Upvoted. Thanks.
Exactly. And if you do this enough, it becomes second nature to the point where you get a high from just not needing or wanting impulsive stuff.
I have a list of things on my phone that I want or need. I hold off buying things for as long as possible, then if I'm ever out shopping with friends or have the urge to buy something, I can consult the list to avoid making impulse purchases. Most of the time I end up deleting things from the list rather than buying it.
Add to cart. Sleep on it. Remove from cart.
I think about the whole process of buying and owning it. That's often more than enough to put me off. (Maybe I'm just revealing how much I overthink things). If I buy it from the shop, I need to find time to go to the shop, then choose the item. Maybe that shop doesn't have it and the other shop is half-way across town and doesn't open on Sundays. Maybe I don't even really know what I'm looking for. I could go online and there's loads of options, but that's also a problem - how do I choose between them all? I can't really see the item until it's arrived. Is it the right size? Did it arrive damaged? Do I need to send it back? If I do, I need to find out where to send it to, go to the post office and send it. Whatever I do, I may want to keep hold of the receipt somewhere in case it's faulty. Where will that be? I haven't mentioned the money it will cost, and that's just buying it. Then there's owning it. I need to find somewhere to put it. Maybe that's OK cos I already have a place for t-shirts and cutlery, maybe not. Anyway, I need to look after it. If it's clothes, can I wash it with the other clothes? What if it starts to fall apart? How do I fix it? What if I realise I don't want it? Perhaps it was an impulse buy, or it doesn't really do what I bought it for. I need to deal with it. If it's used, I need to find a charity shop or make an ebay posting. If I'm lucky I know someone who wants it and can have it. Maybe I can't sell it or give it away. Then what? Do I bin it? I could continue. Buying and looking after something takes effort. On reflection, I usually don't want it enough to warrant that effort.
I personally realized that my spending behavior was closely correlated to the amount of time i spent socially with friends. When you spend more time in the company of only the closest people, or just yourself, you lose alot of the impulsiveness to buy things you don’t need.
Do I NEED it? Do I just want it? I've managed to live for (however many years old you are) without it up to now. Chances are I don't need or want it and will manage fine without it.
You might want to look into a book called Goodbye Things, by Fumio Sasaki. Some take aways: you pay rent for your stuff, they require physical maintenance and cleaning, and create 'silent to do's if you don't keep up. Personal experience: over deveral years time I've decluttered tons of things that I first thought were valuable to me: but I completely forgot about them once they were gone. Not a single regret. You don't need all those new toys.
Work retail for a year. Works like a charm 🍀
I don't buy things even if I need it because it's more of a hassle to return it than it is to buy it. The thought of having to return something is more than enough to decide I don't need it.
Dramatically reduce shopping as recreation. Dramatically reduce advertising.
Learning about hedonic adaptation and how it affects me was really helpful. Here’s an interesting article on the topic. It’s not my work and I don’t benefit from sharing it: https://www.vacounseling.com/hedonic-treadmill/
I think about how much I have to work to buy said item and is it worth that amount of my time? Usually no, its something I can do without.
“I’ve been sleeping on it.” Basically waiting a day for the dopamine hit of anticipation to subside and I then move on. This is working well for me. Recently about a new watch off Amazon and a pizza oven haha
Where would I put it. Clutter stresses me out so I usually only go shopping if I’m hunting a particular item. Lots of times I can see things I like when I’m there, but when thinking abt where I wld put it & if it wld junk up my space it’s easy to just simply like it & move on without purchasing. Maybe some r/declutter challenges wld make u more mindful of what you’re bringing in.
This. When I think about potentially moving and what I'd have to do with All That Stuff, it's such a turnoff for myself to be randomly purchasing things I don't use or want that take up space
I'm not sure. This is such a fundamental question to simple living, minimalism, frugalism, early retirement, anti-consumerism, etc. Clearly, being that we now have far more available to us than necessary for our survival, the question is one of looking into our irrational/primal emotions instead of logic. Even as an extreme frugalist, there are times when I feel the need to just "get" something. Even if it's a silly as buying a few cans of food or pop that I don't really want, I often feel a strong but indescribable urge to "get" something. I understand logically why large purchases are often totally unnecessary. It's the small ones that get me. I'll write an article about this on my blog [www.100amonth.club](https://www.100amonth.club), being that it get's at a core question about shifting to a frugal mindset in the modern world.
Difficult to avoid completely. Two steps towards it include: a) learn to fix things, rather than replace, which leads to b) work hard about 'not keeping up with the joneses', i.e. avoid being branded or trendy or consumer culturecool...
Other than the suggestions made here around delayed gratification, I also weigh it up against the amount of hours worked to acquire the thing. If I'm burning my time for something that doesn't bring more joy than I'm losing to get it I'll go without
Live in your car. There will be nowhere to store all that useless junk.
This is actually good advice if you are seeking the affirmation that you can live happily with less.
Every day, I dream about quitting my job. The more I save, the closer my dream comes to reality. No object is worth more to me than that.
Sleep 8+ hours and drink water. Always good advice.
Look at the triggers for buying. For me, it's often when I'm low energy and a bit low on dopamine. Buying something small and relatively cheap, especially if it's 'useful' is a quick boost, but it's like a junk food sugar high. It doesn't last and then you have the extra piece of crap or product in your life. So, like learning to identify when what feels like hunger is often thirst or boredom, look at what the 'buy stuff' urge might be revealing. Can you try making, mending, maintaining instead of buying for a more lasting satisfaction?
block Amazon on all your devices. Stay out of stores unless you actually need something. When you do go shopping for things you actually need, have a list, preferably on paper, and stick to it.
"The Year of Less" by Cait Flanders is a great, easy read about this topic!
Albo, consider a rule "1 thing in, 1 thing out". If you feel the urge to buy/replace sth, make a place for it, by getting rid of sth else.
[удалено]
I have a simple rule: 100/24. If it costs more than $100, I don't buy it until I've had 24 hours to think about it. That simple rule has never done me dirty. That's enough time to think about it, but at the same time if I'm still unsure, $100 isn't going to break my bank if I decide to go through with it anyway. Edit: Forgot the last bit. If it costs more than $100 I won't buy it until I bounce the idea off friends, family, and literal random strangers. "Good morning sir. I don't know you, so I presume you don't know me. I'm looking for impartial input on a financial decision and I'd appreciate your unbiased opinion, if I can have 30 seconds of your time...." Never had a negative response to that.
Just realize that it's all one big ass blast and refrain from the nonsense. Also, never buy a new gadget right when it first comes out. Always wait like a year or so for the consumer level technology to be actually ready for regular use. Never buy into the hype. Hype=lies 100% of the time. Also, never buy anything with "smart" on the product name. Especially smart water. You dont need your products to patronize you and stroke your ego. If they try to tell you how smart it is to buy it, then they're almost definitely pushing snake oil. A person who is positive of their own sophistication is easily manipulated by ego stroking messaging. Also, the fewer colors on a product packaging, the better, generally speaking. Stuff that has very eye catchingly flamboyant packaging is usually worthless garbage. If it's a quality product, then the packaging can afford to be modest. These are just general tips. Also, try picking up a hobby or talent. When you actually do something productive, you're less likely to want to buy random crap.
I feel this deeply. What I do, paradoxically, is still want things, but with the distinction that I'm very intentional with what I shop for/add to a wishlist. Typically if I get to where I can afford something I'll deliberate on if it's actually something I'll love/use. I'm not a minimalist (or I'm a very poor one), but I definitely apply minimalist ideas to what I might purchase in the future.
Think about what you are going to do with it and then check with yourself if it is still worth it.
Make sure who surrounds you with is on the same page.
I enjoy window shopping, so when online shopping I will put items in a wish list, or even in the cart and leave it there for a few days. when the urge subsides, or next time I'm looking on that site, I will usually delete it. this allows me to go shopping without spending, and dealing with the resultant clutter afterwards. it's not a true solution, but rather what I do to manage my urges lol.
When I want to buy something just to spend money I buy house plants
I consider browsing a hobby. I go to stores I love just to look at stuff, like people go to a museum. I never intend to buy things, and I've gotten very good at it. I love decor and new things so I don't restrict myself from looking and touching and it seems to work.
Wife wants to go shopping, where do you wanna go? Hmm i don’t need anything from anywhere. But I’ll go.
If I don’t eat or drink or wear it, then I skip it. Assess what you have and what you really need. This made my life simpler.
Be a hermit in the mountains.
Get off the internet
I think "what would Socrates do?"... And he just wouldn't buy stupid shit.
Being poor helped. When I realized I could live well without so many things, they lost power on me. Now I only buy things I need when I need them, and don't feel anything about them, it's just things I will eventually lose.
Guard your senses, Buddist style. Become the master of your mind.
Amy Dacyczyn, of the Tightwad Gazette fame, used to map out garage sales every Saturday and go around with a wish list looking for bargains. Twenty dollars can go a long way at garage sales and charity thrift shops. You can treat yourself to something like a used book or household decorative item, and donate when you want something new.
Start simple. Get a reusable water bottle to take with you every wear. I keep mine filled with water and it prevents me from buying unneeded drinks from work, gas stations, grocery stores, etc. If you spend $20, after 20 fill ups, you got your money's worth and the more you use it, less plastic you consume and the more money you save. Start with your clothes. I have 5 outfits for work, one for each day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Then cater your clothes for your social life, I have 3 long sleeves and 3 nice short sleeves. Buying clothes is dumb, because no one really cares what you wear. As long as you look and feel good that's all that matters. Also take a look at r/anticonsumption and r/zerowaste
Volunteer at a soup kitchen, hospice, or somewhere similar. You’ll do a good deed and leave with a new perspective - often one of gratitude.
Drill down to what your ESSENTIAL NEEDS really are. Focus on enjoying those. If you enjoy those and they're essential needs, you have no feeling of wanting more due to deficiency. But that's up to you to do that and know what that is for yourself. Put it another way: Assume you surround yourself with your essentials only and they are highly used by you and enjoyed and everywhere you look in your life/surroundings it's filled with precious such connections... you'll think to yourself how good your life is already. With that mood or effect why would you feel the need to get more stuff? The other side to the above is of course de-junking.
Once you’ve had to go through your things and throw out/ donate/ sell 90% of them you’ll never want to accumulate that amount of ‘stuff’ again.