We live in a world filled with empty consumeristic promises.
- To get the girl, buy this cologne.
- To be the life of the party, get this television.
- To impress your friends, buy this watch.
- To turn heads, drive this car.
- To raise a better family, buy this bigger house.
These promises bombard our senses incessantly—even within the comforts of our home. And more than we realize, these messages begin to shape our conscious and subconscious thoughts.
As a result, too often, we buy stuff we don’t need. Our closets become crowded, our drawers overfill, our garages can’t fit our cars, and our homes fill with countless products we thought were a good idea at the time; but in reality, rarely get used.
Our lives soon become buried under everything we own.
To counter these empty promises, I want to offer a simple, life-transforming question—five simple words to ask before making any purchase.
The question is this: But what if I don’t?
Whenever you feel the pull of consumerism, simply ask yourself the shortened version of this thought, “What might I be able to do if I didn’t make this purchase?”
Every purchase contains an opportunity cost. The question, “But what if I don’t?”, forces us to recognize and articulate it.
For example:
If you don’t buy that large screen television, how much debt could you pay off?
If you don’t buy the bigger house, how much more money would you have to travel?
If you don’t go clothes-shopping today, how could you build up an emergency fund?
If you don’t make this purchase on Amazon, what good could you accomplish in the world with the money instead?
You know what you’ve been promised if you buy… but what if you don’t? How would your life improve if you said ‘no?’
With every purchase we make, we sacrifice a small amount of freedom. This one, simple question helps us recognize exactly what it is.
Kathie says
I love the “What if” statements, so quick and portable. Another one I carry with me is “what if I had no fear”. I’m doing really quite well with not spending but I find just once in awhile I lose the plot, so your what if will come in good use, thank you for the missing key.
Here’s a ‘what if’ for you. What if you could emulate the kudos method that fb and strava have? Because I would love to give a kudos to other peoples comments. I love what you do and I love the community you have collected (not right word, it will come to me later).
Di Geoghegan says
Too much stuff is suffocating! Let go of it & enjoy your senses instead: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching!! ????☺????
Kate Boswell says
How ironic just the other day I was online and wanted to buy something for $100. I thought to myself if I wait one day and “sleep on it” and still want it… I would. Less the 12 hours later I was notified by a pastor friend in Baton Rouge, LA the floods they we’re facing – and needed donations. I took that $100 and donated to help people in that area. They needed it more then the “want” I wanted.
Jeffrey Pillow says
We (as in my wife and I, who is now officially a promoter of minimalism!) are at the point now where we are starting to get a little, excuse my censored french, crap, for this lifestyle.
I’m not sure why I feel slightly blindsided by the grief we are now receiving, but it’s interesting. It’s as if minimalism is a threat to a way of life.
Part of me wants to say, no, this isn’t the case. But really, it is, if you think about it long enough. It’s a rejection of the norm — something I’ve always been pretty good at. I’m not forcing my beliefs on anyone. I’m doing my own thing. I just started writing about it on my blog some, but not much because that’s not what my blog is really about, and yet, here we are: getting crap from relatives. Thankfully, not my side of the family :)
This blog post is a threat. Yours. Not malicious. But it is. It’s a rejection to consumerism and consumerism is very American in a lot of ways. We consume, consume, consume. I’m not saying other countries don’t either, but we consume, waste, waste.
Why do we continue doing this to ourselves, to our pocket books and wallets, to our environment?
I welcome it. We have to. My grandparents didn’t live this way. They had a house a 1/4 the size many Americans live in. They didn’t have 10 pair of pants and 14 tops, and nine pair of shoes.
What are we doing?
So when you say, no, when you say, “What if I don’t,” I’m now realizing exactly how much that bothers someone who has never asked that question, who is actually bothered by the question of questioning.
I look around at all of the stuff I still have left and say, “Why did I ever feel I was supposed to have this? It’s not necessary.”
That’s a good question. Is it necessary? Do I need it?
Enjoyed your post as always.
Belina Villanueva says
I completely agree. This year I have gotten rid of so many things that are not congruent with my values. The Uncluttered Course has made me truly a life of “real ease.”
Joy says
Ha, I just read this after returning a pair of new fall boots that cost $175. I had them in my possession for about 2 hours… decided that what I already have will work good enough. And, it felt good to see that $175 credited to my account. No guilt and buyer’s remorse now!
Helen Cameron says
I ask myself how long I would have to work to earn the amount the item costs. Is it worth it?
Debt Hater says
This is a great way to think of the opportunity cost when making purchases, I like this approach. Normally I also try and delay the purchase to think over if I really need to buy that item.
It also helps on the budgeting side of things – people don’t like to cut costs. But if you show them they can then shift that money towards things they really value, they are usually more willing to hear you out.
Christel says
I wish I had read this article before I had gotten into so much debt! Let the first aid begin!
Ebah morphy says
I hv been staying at my parent house 3months now..the house is filled with stuffs that they have owned 30yrs now.my mom even have cloths she wore over 35 yrs ago all stuffd in big bags..there is a grinding machine bought 15ys ago thats never been used evn once..needless to say there are 3 fridges in the house nt been used..my siblings seems to hv inherited this trait..my minimalist lifestyle hv made me a better,healthier n happier person.
Kristin says
My shopping mantra when I see something I want/”need” –
“I need this like I need a hole in my head!”
Tara says
Love it! I am appropriating this one for myself. :-)