Buy Less, Choose Well & Make It Last

“Buy Less, Choose Well and Make It Last” – Vivienne Westwood, a British designer.

I think it is a pretty good philosophy to live by. We all work very hard for our money and to frivolously spend just because “Big Festival Sale” going on in some e-commerce site is not a great decision. The important thing is to consider how these purchases will impact you and your financial situation.

Over the years, I have been exposing myself to ideas such as minimalism, and decluttering, reading various books on the same. This has made me conscious of my spendings and I am buying less things. But this was not easy, specially for an impulsive shopper like me. I used a very simple method - Out of Sight, Out of Mind method. I uninstalled all shopping apps on my phone, so that I am not tempted by sales and best buy offers. I go shopping in malls or online, only when I absolutely need to buy something. I also have a wishlist of things I want to buy that hold true value for me. This helps me spending my money only on things that add value to my life.

Even when I think of buying something or being tempted to buy something, I look at what I have already and see if I can stretch it and make it last a little longer to delay the purchase. This way I was stretching my purchases and spending less over time. Whenever I am buying something, I will be doing a research on the item to get better insight into what this purchase can do for me. It helps see how valuable the product or services is for me. I always try to choose quality products that lasts long. My purchases are more intentional, and I treat my goods with care so that they last long, delaying the repurchase.

I am aware that overcoming the burning desire for that latest gadget or new pair of jeans is not easy. Especially, when you stumble upon an irresistible offer on the Big Festival Sale Day or when a friend of yours has purchased something very desirable. But, if you succumb to temptation or peer pressure, you will end up making an unplanned purchase. I have seen that some of my colleagues are constantly giving in to peer pressure, buying things leading to debt.

There has to be a reason behind every expenditure. If you buying things impulsively, or because of peer pressure, you will be taking away money from something that you have already planned. And most of the times it will be the money that you would have set aside for investments to achieve your financial goals. So, if you are serious about achieving financial freedom, then you need to get prudent and wise about what you are buying. I hope this post encourages you to at-least start thinking about - buying less & choosing well.

“If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.”

- Warren Buffett