Category: Abandon Consumerism

Choosing to abandon consumerism is hard.

But consuming is simple. It encourages spending money and consuming goods, as this behavior is good for the economy. Said another way, every time you spend your money on something, you are making money for someone else. You are sacrificing time you’ve worked on a shiny object that makes a company money.

Now, not all consumption is bad. We need to eat. Everyone had hobbies that require a few items. Travel and exploration broaden your mind and world view, and require some consumption.

But if your find yourself spending more money than you make, or stuffed into a home that feels too small and cluttered, or bored and unhappy unless you’re spending money… you’re stuck in consumerism.

And to be honest, it’s understandable. Businesses pay top dollar for well educated marketing departments. Their mission in life is to get you to spend money on their product. Commercials, social media, even innocent-looking shows are geared towards getting you to want more. A better wardrobe, a nicer car, a bigger house. But the choice to abandon consumerism can set you free from the illness of “more”.

“More” has an insatiable appetite. While it quiets during every purchase and acquisition, it awakens quickly at the sight of each new, bigger thing.

“More” is the enemy of happiness.

The reason is simple. True happiness does not come from things. Aside from basic needs that are necessary for security and life (basic food, clothes, shelter), most things simply fill a greater void. And compulsive purchasing prevents us from getting to the root of our spending habit.

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Tips to Reduce Paper Waste and Save Some Cash

The COVID-19 pandemic gave us an opportunity to reevaluate paper usage and reduce paper waste.

When the 2020 pandemic of COVID-19 first made headlines, I expected it to impact our lives. I did not foresee or understand the toilet paper shortage of March, 2020. In times of uncertainty or when facing an unforeseen global crisis, we can either panic or lean in. My household chose the latter, and re-evaluated our disposable paper usage, which led us to drastically reduce paper waste and save on some of our monthly expenses.

This wasn’t how I thought that change would go down.

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Abandon Consumerism

Choose to embrace experiences and abandon consumerism

“The more cluttered the closet, the emptier the life”

Old Money, New Woman : How to Manage Your Money and Your Life ~ Byron Tully

Do you remember what gifts you got for your birthday two years ago?

Do you remember what you did and who you spent your birthday with two years ago?

Personally, I rarely remember the things I get. But I almost always remember the experiences I had, the friends and family I spent special days with. Shiny new things have a way of making you happy in the moment, and getting stuffed into the back of a closet a few months later.

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Bitten by the Consumerism Bug

Coming home, I was immediately bitten by the consumerism bug

After a couple of years living abroad, I was home! Home to bigger everything… bigger food portions, bigger apartments, and bigger disposable income. I was immediately bitten by the consumerism bug.

And it was intoxicating.

At first the larger portions made me feel uncomfortable, but I quickly became used to them and thoroughly enjoyed the gluttony. The lack of walking made me feel lethargic, but I soon relished having a vehicle and the convenience that came with it. I reconnected with friends, and a couple of evenings a week enjoyed lively conversation over drinks. Somehow I stumbled on the best of both worlds, enjoying the excess of American life, while keeping the confidence and independence gained living abroad.

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An Experiment With Minimalism Across the Pond

A new job gave me the opportunity to experiment with minimalism across the pond

Happy thirtieth birthday to me.

Let the death march begin.

It’s okay, I had fun in my youth. Shenanigans in my teens, going for something between goth and heavy metal. Dating a local musician, going to shows, becoming the unintended groupie. And my minivan really rounded out the persona.

I embraced the academic world, took a range of classes – philosophy, world religion, literature, biology, psychology, statistics. Even stayed up late reading great works, and made time to go to a few shows every semester. Slipped away and reunited with my high school friends over drinks and live music.

And then I became a corporate whore and suburbanite.

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My First House and Settling for the Suburban Life

Buying my first house was a combination of luck and discipline.

The corporate Koolaid tasted delicious.

I broke my tooth six months into my new job. Paid time off was available to me to to visit the dentist, and insurance covered some of the cost. Every two weeks, a deposit came into my account like clockwork. It took a few months to stop thinking like an hourly employee, wondering if I’d have enough money for my bills, for my rent. Worrying that my schedule would be cut one week, hoping for overtime the next week.

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A Cautionary Consumer Tale | My Friend Bob

A high debt, consumer driven lifestyle is more dangerous than we realize.

Going against the grain of our consumer-driven, materialistic society is difficult. Most are a slave to “more”, going deeper in debt to get fancy cars, stylish clothes and expensive homes. Being focused on paying down debt, increasing savings and building passive income for investment is not mainstream. Many want to look rich, but not be rich. But this debt building lifestyle that many take for granted is more dangerous than we realize. To illustrate, I present this real-life, cautionary consumer tale of my friend Bob*.

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