SO YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT BUYING SOMETHING…
What to look for and consider after you have decided to buy:
1) Quality over quantity. This is a simple one, if you need to purchase something don’t be afraid to upgrade in terms of quality. No, quality does not mean more buttons or features on it… it means buying something that is made to last and is designed to go through a lifetime of use.
2) Will the purchase make your life simpler? This purchase should reduce the time you spend doing things you don’t want to do and give you more time doing what you do want to do. Will this purchase help you towards this goal?
3) Responsibility. Whenever you purchase something you are taking responsibility for the natural materials and human labor put into it. You are taking on the role as the responsible party for those resources and the people impacted by the production of that product. Once you own something take care of it, mend it, repair it and when you are done, find a way to dispose of it so that the natural resources originally used to produce it can enter back into the natural cycle of matter.
4) Investment. Everything you consume, no matter if it costs 3 dollars from Goodwill or $300.00 from a local shop, is an investment of your future time (think time getting dressed in the morning, time mending, time cleaning it) and life style (every behavior, thought, and purchase should be aligning you with your preferred lifestyle).
5) Be Deliberate. Don’t spend time online or in stores “just looking”, industries are literally built on the concept that people spend time “just looking”. Be deliberate and focused when shopping. Self control, you have it, use it.
6) Take your time. If several weeks or months go by and you completely forgot about that one thing you saw online, then odds are you don’t want it or need it. If several weeks or months go by and you keep thinking about how that one product would allow you to simplify your life or eliminate a few hassles, then trust that you keep returning to it. But, keep in mind that lust over a product is different than returning to it for its necessity. Odds are, your basic need of being clothed is currently being met, thus don't rush yourself through decisions. The better decisions you make now the less decisions you will have to make in the future to either fixing, get rid of, or buying replacement products for purchases that previously didn't work.
7) Trust your gut. You know you more than anyone else, so you do you. There is a lot of advice and ideas and how consumers should spend their time and money. At the end of the idea it is your life and your decisions, figure out what works for you and do it!
