When I was young, there was really no internet, online shopping, tablets, or endless electronics. We had to actually put effort into being a consumer. Going shopping was often made a whole-day event or at the very least, an experience. However, now it couldn’t be any different. Being a minimalist in a materialistic world wasn’t even a thought before.
It’s strange to watch my son grow up in a world so far from the childhood I remember. With the world at our fingertips and accessibility to consuming as we’ve never had, it’s hard not to fall into the trap of endless consuming and wanting. There were no ads or toy commercials popping up in the middle of my bike riding or Barbie playing when I was little. Nowadays, there are advertisements on every kid gadget and tablet out there, marketing to children of all ages and socioeconomic demographics.
After becoming an adult and a mother, my perspective on life became extremely different. I started exploring new subjects, information, and ways of life. Minimalism is one of the few lifestyles that has really stuck with me over the years. It’s not only a lifestyle that has greatly helped me in being a mom but helped my financials too! Although it was different from what I was used to, adapting minimalism as a lifestyle has completely changed my life.
Conscious Consumer
Advertising and marketing are a world of illusions. It’s their job to make you think you need whatever they are selling. Then, you add in TV, the Internet, cell phones, and worst of all, social media. Well, with this combination we’ve given them open and endless access to persuading our minds, constantly. If we’re not comparing on social media then we’re being persuaded by endless mediums. Minimalism breaks this cycle.
Growing up I remember going Christmas shopping or school clothes shopping. As I hit pre-teen age, social media started to become a thing adding fuel to the fire. By the time I was in high school and early college, shopping was a normal thing. I didn’t do any research on the purchases I was making, whether big or small. It was just part of life, part of what you do.
Someone’s birthday? Shop! School starting? Shop! Project? Shop! Something broke? Shop! Someone sad? Shop! It was second nature and an answer to almost every situation.
After getting pregnant and having my son, there was an instant mind shift. My priorities and necessities shifted which caused me to question the way I was living and spending. This is where minimalism comes into play. One of the very first things I personally picked up from this lifestyle was being a conscience consumer. This doesn’t mean you just don’t shop. It means you buy 1 instead of 3, it means you reevaluate if you really need/want it or if it’s just convenient. It changes your thought process on purchasing.
Trying to be a conscience consumer also meant I didn’t allow advertisements to persuade me. Whether it was a promotional email, a commercial, or a sale, I was more conscience of what I was reading and believing. I even started looking at customer reviews to get a better idea of what I was buying. Marketing, in my mind, went from information to illusion.
Being conscience of what you’re purchasing and more importantly, why you’re purchasing it, will change a lot when it comes to your consumer behavior. It sounds simple but it can really be a huge shift if you honestly give it a shot.
Try Instead
If it’s someone’s birthday, try going to do something with them instead of a gift. Whether a dinner, movie, bowling, or even baking them a cake. For school, it’s an evaluation of what’s really necessary. You may not necessarily need an 18-pack of pencils and 25 pens nor the endless organizers and ‘school bags.’ Being minimalist rather than materialistic focuses on using and purchasing only what’s really necessary or what you absolutely love. Not about having excess or bulk products ‘just in case’ or ‘just because you can.’
An important concept I’ve learned is if it’s broken, fix it. It’s so easy to find the information needed to fix most of what can break since we’ve gained access to the internet and more. However, we’ve fallen into the habit of if it’s broken, buy a new one. At first, when I started trying to fix things instead of tossing and re-purchasing, it took a lot to follow through. With patience and consistency, it’s become empowering to learn how to fix things for myself and learn new skills.
These changes seem simple or maybe even silly but they gave me results I was so happy with. I was more present and thoughtful for birthdays and holidays. I’ve even learned so many random tips on fixing household stuff that’s saved me a lot of money. And, while we’re mentioning money, not buying in excess for ‘what if’ or ‘just in case situations has also saved me money. We started being more conscience of what we were using which resulted in not having to buy as many of these items.
To Minimize This Post
Becoming a minimalist in a materialistic world happened when I became a conscience consumer. Once I realized what I was seeing wasn’t about honest convenience but about their personal gain and profit, my mind along with my purchases shifted. Comparison often leads to wanting more or preparing for just-in-case situations. Whereas learning to be grateful and happy with what you already have set you apart from societal norms and ways of thinking.
Once you start to shift your mindset to that of a conscience consumer and/or a minimalist, you start to enjoy being against the grain of the consumer world. It’s a refreshing shift that really doesn’t require more than a change of mind.
I loved it!! Definitely needed to read that? lately I’ve been buying in bulk an me reading that makes me conciousness of what I need instead of want. Thank you girl ?