We live in a consumer society. Recently I had to go through a bitter experience - my father passed away. About the loss loved one it is not customary to grieve for a long time, because you need to have time to collect a lot of documents and notify various stations about what happened. When I completed these tasks, it was time to clean the apartment of the late father.

Where to begin?

In the process of sorting through all the things, I felt like I was out of breath, as each of them was filled with memory. It took me a week to sort out the boxes that had accumulated in the apartment over the past 10 years. I sold some, donated some, and threw some things away altogether.

This process was difficult for me, because my father spent a lot of effort to get these things. And I thought about how humanity is destroying the planet, since many of us are busy earning money to buy things that neither the owners nor their descendants need at all.

Awareness

I decided to experiment - to refrain from buying any things for two hundred days. Agree, most of those who have a regular income, spend money recklessly. Or maybe try to do without supermarkets for a while? Of course, you should not take into account the purchase of food or medicines. If I needed something, I borrowed it or bought not a new, but a used thing. Through this experiment, I learned 7 key lessons.

Key Lessons

1. The world is full unnecessary things . When I started selling my father's property, I reviewed thousands of ads in global network. I was surprised how many things are produced in our country, and then all this utensils, furniture, clothes just end up in a landfill.
2. Shopping addiction needs to be treated. At the beginning of my experiment, I began to satisfy my need for a particular product by visiting special sites. The range of goods was simply amazing, and many packaged items were put up for sale that had never been used. From which we can conclude that the buying process itself is not conscious choice, but the result of the impact on our consciousness.
3. We used to think that used things are not hygienic . I decided to record the result of the experiment on a blog and then I came across a few comments that buying used products is not hygienic. That is, in the understanding of many people, all, even packaged products, are "infected with foreign microbes." This is very strange, you will agree. Remembering at least the volunteers who are happy to help people by sharing their clothes or furniture. Where did the stereotype come from that this is only suitable for low-income segments of the population?
4. Companies need supermarkets . During all the days of the experiment, I realized that I did not feel the need for supermarkets at all. After all necessary products can be purchased in a small shop near the house, where it is always cozy and polite staff works. When you go to the mall, you are guaranteed to buy unnecessary things that were not originally on your shopping list. In such stores, everything is designed for this, you plan to buy everything at once, and even save money, but in reality it turns out differently - you spend much more money than planned before leaving the house.
5. It is not worth it. For 6 months of no spontaneous purchases and refraining from using credit cards I felt relieved. Mentally, I felt a lot better. Life without shopping is wonderful, and besides, you don’t have to constantly face the fear of being left without Money. Nothing is worth it.
6. You can pay one person, not in a company . When purchasing something via the Internet, it turns out that many sellers decent people who really want to sell something useful to you. In such cases, by the way, bargaining is appropriate, since people are trying to return the money invested, and not just earn. These salespeople will be happy if you make a purchase, unlike mall cashiers. And you will be happy knowing that your money will be in your pocket. adequate person and not a ruthless company.
7. I don't need much . Of course, there are certain things that you need to buy only new, for example, personal care products. Smart purchases help stabilize financial position, you see, it is much better when income exceeds expenses. I can afford to relax with friends and take a taxi home, but at the same time I do not experience stress, but only peace of mind. We often give importance to things that don't really matter. My opinion - optimal way live quietly is the pursuit of minimalism. And to understand this, I had to endure a bitter loss - the death of my father. I hope this article will help you understand a lot. published

Of course, there are things that you can’t do without: for example, products or basic wardrobe items. However great amount We buy things simply “because we want to”.

Aggressive advertising, marketing gimmicks, even supermarket layout principles and online store page design - all these tools are aimed at making you make a purchase. Even if you don't really need it.

We have collected the top things that you can refuse in order not to waste money in vain.

1. Gym membership

In most cases, people who buy an annual membership to a fitness club go there so infrequently that the purchase becomes unprofitable. To keep fit, you can study at home using online lessons, run in the park, and have an active rest. Get more variety and much cheaper.

2. Special sportswear

All those fancy jackets and T-shirts with super properties look nice, but they are expensive and practically useless. Buy good sneakers, a cotton tank top, and comfortable shorts. Everything, you are ready for training.

3. Diet and "organic" food

This category includes strings of products with beautiful labels that flaunt signs like “organic”, “bio”, “non-GMO”, “diet product” and similar marketing tricks. You don't need any diet muesli either. If you don't believe me, look at how much sugar they contain. It is better to choose the most simple products in which you understand all the ingredients. For example, in buckwheat there should be nothing but buckwheat.

4. Semi-finished products

Even if we discard the question that all these frozen nuggets are not very useful, such a purchase still remains unprofitable. Just because a box of the same nuggets weighing 300 grams costs the same as a whole chicken carcass weighing a kilogram or even one and a half. Plus add here the cost of restoring health. Maybe it's better to buy good products right away?

5. Cellulite cream and diet pills

There are no creams and pills that will melt the accumulated fat. To get rid of fat, you have to eat right and move actively. No options.

6. Special cleaning products

Have you seen how much pipe cleaner or descaling agent costs? Hint: unreasonably expensive. Meanwhile, there are many three-penny folk recipes, which will help to cope with scale and a clogged sink.

7. Camera

Unless you're a professional photographer who makes a living doing this, you don't need a cool DSLR. And even more so, you don’t need a “soap box” with a bunch of megapixels. Most modern smartphones already have pretty decent cameras built into them. Plus, it does not hurt to use the settings and process photos in special applications.

8. Bottled water

Waste of money and a lot of plastic. It is enough to boil water in a kettle and pour into a jug. Sophisticated filters for water purification and water delivery services in large bottles also belong here.

9. USB flash drive

Flash drives are no longer needed, but they continue to be sold. Files, even large ones, can be transferred online. Plus, nothing gets lost.

10. Kitchen accessories

It can be hard to resist a nice submarine-shaped tea strainer, a cool pizza cutter, tiered cake stands and that cool garlic press over there. Most of these things you use once or twice and then discard. Don't get carried away and kitchen appliances: we are talking about waffle makers, sandwich makers, deep fryers and other things that perform only one function.

11. Cable Channel Packages

Does anyone else watch cable TV? If your parents are watching, show them online cinemas and services, or better yet, buy them a monthly subscription so they can appreciate the benefits. And it turns out that we complain that there is nothing to watch on TV, and continue to pay for it.

12. Books and magazines

Books and magazines are not cheap, plus you will read them once, well, a maximum of two times. Then they will just take up space. It is much more profitable to buy a subscription in one of the book applications and get access to a huge library. A month's subscription costs the same as one book, but a year's subscription costs less. Individual copies that you really like and that you want to re-read, then you can buy. If it is important for you to read paper books Go to the library, it's full of new books.

13. Accessories for the wedding

A wedding is, in principle, a very expensive event. But consider: Wedding Dress you will wear it only once, and beautiful invitations will go to the trash almost immediately after reading.

14. Souvenirs

Calendars, porcelain cats and dogs, figurines in the form of a symbol of the year, piggy banks, good luck charms, money trees, brownies, photo frames ... You yourself will not notice how this junk will capture your apartment. Throw away all those useless knick-knacks and promise never to buy them again.

15. Vitamin complexes

It's just an illusion of care own health. In most cases, you don't need them. If you want to take your health seriously, get some sleep, eat right, and get checked out by your doctor so you know exactly what to treat, rather than swallowing colorful pills.

16. Products for animals

By and large, an animal needs food, water, and your love. Do not get carried away with special houses for cats, expensive toys, funny costumes, treats and vitamins with a strange composition.

17. Extra furniture

A corner for the kitchen with a bulky sofa, a giant wall in the hall, a TV cabinet, a set of several armchairs in which no one then sits - these are all relics of the past. Throw out unnecessary pieces of furniture and don't make the same mistake again.

18. Baby products

Parents always want the best for their children, and marketers take advantage of that. Why do you need a baby monitor if the child sleeps in the next room? Can't you hear him? You also don't need towel warmers, walkers, tons of toys, special devices for preparing baby food.

19. Cosmetics

Shower gels, scrubs, leave-in hair sprays, aftershave products, a whole arsenal of makeup products, a special brush for washing brushes, multi-phase makeup removers ... Some of these products only harm the skin and hair, others we do not have time to use before how the expiration date ends. You should not completely abandon beauty products, but the number can be reduced.

20. Tools for the home

Do not buy fancy tools, even if you have full swing renovation in progress. Limit yourself to the basic set: hammer, pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, tape measure, respirator. Specialized and expensive tools can be borrowed from friends or rented.

Famous French philosopher Denis Diderot lived in poverty almost all his life, but the turning point came in 1765.

By that time, Diderot was 52 years old and his daughter was about to get married, but her father had no funds for a dowry. Despite his lack of wealth, Diderot's name was widely known as he co-founded and authored a monumental work called the Encyclopedie, one of the most complete encyclopedias that time.

When Catherine the Great, Empress Russian Empire, found out about Diderot's financial difficulties, she offered him to sell her a nominal library for 1,000 pounds sterling, which today equals about 50,000 US dollars.

This successful deal largely saved Diderot from disgrace. He could afford a lot and soon acquired a new scarlet (the solemn outer garment or mantle of monarchs or kings of purple or scarlet color). From that moment the problems started.

Diderot effect

Diderot's outfit was incredibly beautiful. So handsome that everything else in his clothes and home decoration looked ridiculous and slovenly, and this made Diderot feel disheartened. The only way out from this situation he saw only in buying new things.

First, he replaced his old carpet with a new one from Damascus. He decorated his house with sculptures and a beautiful kitchen table, bought a new mirror and a leather chair.

Now craving for such spontaneous purchases is called the Diderot effect. This effect describes a situation where the purchase of a new item creates a so-called consumption spiral, that is, it leads to the purchase of other new items. As a result, we keep buying things we don't really need.

Portrait of Denis Diderot. Artist - Louis Michel (Louis-Michel), 1767. The painting depicts Diderot in a robe very similar to the one whose purchase once provoked the effect of Diderot.

Why do we crave things we don't need?

The Diderot effect should not be underestimated: unfortunately, we are all prone to making unreasonable and rash purchases. You can buy a new car and in addition to it, you can buy a bunch of different lotions and equipment: a tire pressure sensor, a car charger for mobile phone, an additional umbrella in the car, a first aid kit, a penknife, pocket flashlight, rescue blankets and even some kind of knife for cutting seat belts.

You can meet a similar pattern of behavior in other areas of life:

1. You buy a new dress and be sure to buy new shoes and earrings for it.
2. You buy a subscription to the gym and consider it obligatory to buy a new sports uniform.
3. You get a new sofa and think: maybe you should update other elements of your interior?

Such is the nature of man: we do not simplify something, we do not reduce it to a minimum, but on the contrary, we enrich, increase, develop.

How to control the Diderot effect?

The Diderot effect teaches us to focus on what matters most. There are too many things around us, and our resources are limited, so it is useful to be able to separate the main from the secondary. How to do it? You can try the following:

1. Avoid triggers. Almost every habit is activated by some kind of trigger. One of quick ways reduce the power of the Diderot effect - avoid triggers that contribute to its occurrence. Unsubscribe from online shopping newsletters. Make a call to Retail Stores who send you product catalogs and unsubscribe. Meet your friends in the park, not in mall. Block your access to your favorite online stores.

2. Choose items that go well with what you already have. If you stick to this principle, then when you buy a new dress or sofa, you will not be tempted to buy anything to go with it. Buying electronics? Make sure that you already have all the available adapters and adapters for connecting equipment.

3. Set limits. Limit your shopping. Designate a specific amount, more than which you will not spend, and keep your word.

4. Bought one, gave away one. Every time you buy something new, give your old thing. Bought a new TV? Give someone an old one. Don't move it to another room, just donate it to someone. The idea is to avoid the accumulation of things in your home. Leave next to you only what brings you joy and happiness.

5. Go shopping-free for a month. AT next month do not allow yourself even the most insignificant purchase. Instead of buying a new lawn mower, borrow one from a neighbor. The more we limit ourselves, the more conscious our behavior becomes.

6. Don't follow your desires. Of course, no one will ever reach such a level of awareness. We always want something. We always strive to acquire something that will be better than the previous one. But such a line of behavior will only lead you to permanent frustration: you bought a new car, but after a while you wanted another, more expensive one, and so on. Not getting satisfaction from one, you are already drawn to the other. Learn to enjoy what you already have.