For a long time, I spent recklessly. I wrote “WANT” as a caption for my Pinterest board of things I didn’t need. I couldn’t just go to a store and ‘look’ because I had to have it! The excuses kept on coming, and I was amazed at the speed at which these ‘justifications’ convinced me.
It wasn’t until I moved apartments that I really looked at the amount of stuff that had accumulated over the years. Shoes I never wore, makeup I didn’t need, half-started hobbies gathering dust, even items that I was too lazy to return. It really forced me to think about my spending habits, and where I was putting my values and effort. My face went red when I added up all this wasted money that could’ve gone to more important things like, I don’t know, paying the interest of my unsubsidized student loans.
This was the point at which I started delving into the topic of consumerism. I came across Kimberly Clark, a drag queen that spins around the usual ad-speak of beauty YouTube channels, who talks you into not buying things. While her channel is more focused on the beauty industry and its critique, below is a clip from one of her videos where she talks about consumerism in our society.
Watch from 2:20 until 3:27 for the relevant content! You are free to watch the whole video, but it is this part that interested me the most.
Being an informed consumer means not making choices on the fly, no impulse purchases, and giving yourself time to think about why is it that you think you need this product. Do you really need that specific brand of clothing? That new phone? Or did this ad pressured you into thinking you need it to feel complete?
Deep questions, y’all.
Now, what does this have to do with financial literacy? Having control over your spending not only does it benefit your wallet (yay!) but creates a more intentional framework to follow next time you think about making any kind of purchase. Think about it, how empowering it is to know that you know exactly what it is that you’re buying and why.
Does this mean I never buy things anymore? Absolutely not! What it means is that, while I have fewer things I did before, what I have makes me happy and I make use of it constantly. No more junk laying around my room, or the surprise item I forgot I had.
Don’t hype the hype! Keep yourself informed, aware, and most importantly, financially healthy.
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