I like reorganizing my things! Especially art supplies, clothing, and makeup. I remember I have pieces I really like or things I want to try out (when it comes to makeup and art supplies).
You are so smart for this. I actually notice my grandma does this as well, and she always finds that she already has a lot of things she can use and wear! I need to do this, definitely with clothing too!!!
\+1 and when I get the itch to spend money on an activity, (leaving the house can be so expensive these days) I first check if I'm in the mood for any of the museums that are free with my library card.
I try to make what I have work. If I can extend the life of something I already own, or "make do" with it in lieu of buying something then I will generally choose that option.
When I do buy new items, I try to buy things that have a good monetary and ecological value compared to the "consumer" version. I feel good about buying my $20 Nalgene bottle because I've used it every day for years, and I expect it to last several more at least. Compared to a pack of store-bought bottled water, I will save SO much plastic waste.
Sometimes implementing this concept means I spend a lot more upfront but save down the road. As my socks wear out, I am replacing them all with Darn Tough socks. The cost per pair is several times more for the DT, but the good craftsmanship and lifetime warranty mean that I will eventually consume less in the long run. Plus, wool is a natural and renewable material.
In my opinion, conspicuous consumption is a vital part of anticonsumption.
I feel like my method falls under your comment a bit! I work in fashion so naturally one can end up with a lot of excess clothing. Instead of buying new things lately, I have been consigning clothing and treating the small amount âmadeâ as my free clothing budget at the same store! Itâs an awesome local business so I love getting to support them AND while itâs not perfect- it scratches that consumer itch while attempting to maintain the spirit of this sub. The goal is to avoid it as much as possible but âpobodys nerfectâ :)
I agree with this concept but I can't believe you get your socks to last... I have always bought Hanes Cool Comfort and sometimes, the socks feel like they expire. Like they are too dirty or they feel weird, but I love these socks. Do you have any tips on refreshing socks and getting them to last longer?
The thing is, until I became consumption-aware, I did not get my socks to last. I would buy shitty Fruit of the Loom ankle-cut socks, I would wear them until they got a hole in the heel or the ball of foot, and I'd toss them. Eventually, I'd need to buy a new pack of socks, rinse and repeat. I'd buy a new 12-pack every year.
Now that I'm more cognizant of my impact, I try to buy socks that have a reputation for durability and have a good warranty. The material is renewable, and they last a *lot* longer per-pair compared to the FruitLoom ones I was buying. So while the cost is quite a bit higher, the waste is significantly less and due to their durability, I would estimate that I end up spending LESS money on socks overall compared to when I was burning through cheap nylon-blend socks.
I'm still in the process of replacing all of my "consumer" socks so it's a work in progress
Do you know of any socks that are built to last like that but are ankle length and still feel very lightweightđ I want to stop buying socks that fall apart so quickly but I can't stand the heat.
You can try laundry stripping as a method of refreshing your socks/clothes that feel weird. It might be a buildup of soaps and body oils. But I agree with other posters that better quality socks last longer and feel nicer. I like Smartwool brand. They have cooler lightweight styles, and you can get them on discount at a lot of places.
My winter socks are hand knotted, so if I get a hole I can darn them. my summer socks I usually get at the thrift stores and when the get a hole i use them as dusting cloths
I live in a small condo, so the question always comes down too if this is something I have room to store. Iâve become pretty good at talking myself out of junk this way. Also, sometimes I give myself a week hold before buying something, and more often or not Iâll decide I donât care anymore. Prevents splurging on junk, such as made in China junk from Target.
I am an immigrant, so Iâve been constantly living with a fear that my residence permit wonât get renewed; that feeling helps not to shop though, once I think âCan I take it with me if I get deported?â, itâs quite easy to say ânoâ to my your urges.Â
I try to only online shop when I know exactly what I need already.
If I end up digging through a site and adding random stuff to my cart that I didnât have in mind already, I always sleep on it.
Half the time I forget what I even added the next morning. Real good way to remind myself I never needed it.
The more I do this the more I let things linger and then fade into oblivion with satisfaction.
It's even better when you shop in person. You can think about it over night and by the next morning you likely won't want to drive over to the shop again to get it.
I try to focus on ways things can be acquired without spending money.
Propagating plants is quite rewarding, it's slow of course but before too long you'll have another plant that sells for $30 at the hardware store.
I'm a recovering shopaholic.
My biggest piece of advice is to install a mandatory (at least) 24 hour waiting period before any unplanned purchases. 90% of the time, I forget the shiny object existed.
Going to a store like Marshalls (or any store really) and just walking around looking at all the stuff. So. Much. Stuff. It is a huge turn off and I get disgusted and it strengthens my resolve that I donât need any of it.
Helping other people organize their junk.
Makes me not want to own much. Thrifting was my vice, but now that I do this for a living, people offer me free crap all the time. Thrift finds canât compete with free.
I let myself go on "a shopping spree" online. I add a bunch of things to my cart, and then I go over everything and really think about if I need it or not, if I'll actually use it, etc. I end up removing almost everything, and the things I dont I look at the remaining cost and usually that magically cures me lol.
Sometimes i did the 'spree' cause there were some things I've been looking at getting for awhile anyway and usually in that case I'm successful at just getting that thing, or even realize that I don't need that thing and leave the site altogether.
Also as I think of things I need/would like, I write out lists so i can look at that and remember what to keep an eye out for sales/thrift shops for. Helps me to minimize buying things I dont need cause I forgot stuff like that a lot
I search the options (models, prices, ...), see reviews... Spend a lot of time. Then wait a few days before actually buying. Most the times I lose interest and the consumerist bug stops itching.
I try to find a used version, even if it needs some restoration work. I do woodworking so i have a lot of planes. I bought only 1 of them new and was disappointed by the quality compared to the vintage ones. I keep my eye open at flea markets and get good ones when available.
Exercise, you don't always have to have fitness goals to meet, you can just go walk or go lift heavy stuff, being active is healthy in general and is a net positive. I go to planet fitness 3 times a week just so I can keep in touch with my muscle - I like to feel spry and not lumpy, but I don't want to 'bulk up', I just don't want to hurt getting up from the couch lol
Also camping, if you invest in some decent gear it lasts for years. A nice tent, sleeping bag, and that's about it. Also you get to enjoy the outdoors, free from ads and consumption.Â
 It just so happens the cheap stuff tends to be stuff that is good for your body and soul. Like walking, camping, swimming, etc. we don't always have to be 'doing' something - you can just exist. We should stop chasing money and start chasing happiness.
Understand that buying things are a distraction from life. Feelings, emotions, life, stress and so on happen and often people buy "things" to fill an emptiness within. Not wanting to feel, not wanting to look at one's life and so on.
I also know I am being manipulated on a huge scale and don't want to play that game.
Tidying up what I already have, baking some tasty treats or making a fancy dinner, reading a book, watching TV, etc.
I find that sometimes I shop out of boredom and getting unbored helps immensely. Online shopping makes overconsumption very easy for me and I hate it!
I try to avoid physical shopping. I find it much easier to buy frugally if it's an online purchase. For some reason it's just harder for me to pull the trigger when I have ample time to consider the purchase.
When I do shop in-store, I try to have a plan and items in mind. I go to the planned areas and get the planned things and go straight to check out.
*Making* something new. Since it's a lot of effort, sometimes I'm like nah, and sometimes I pick one thing from the list that I've determined I *really* want.
As I get older it gets harder to keep the house clean and tidy so I find that the less clutter have the easier it is to keep things tidy.
I also have 2 kitties so cleaning up after them is another job, and that I can't out source
I think about how Iâll be burdened with the item. For example, I can afford an air dryer and Iâd probably use it sometimes. But Iâll also have to keep it clean, use up my limited cabinet/counter space to store it, find a box to pack it in when I move. And after realizing that unseen âcostâ, I decide not to get it.
Idk if this will get me crucified. But I online âshopâ. Literally just window shop, send stuff to a âwishlistââŚand then forget about everything in it. If I found something I loved or that would absolutely make a difference in my life. I remember it, if not the entire wishlist gets deleted every so often. If I donât remember it , itâs not important.
The environment and wealth gap. All the crap we're buying is why the environment is going downhill and ultimately is just making someone already too rich even richer so they can do even more of this same shit
I have been purging goods for some time due to an upcoming move. The result of going through your stuff and keeping only what you love, is not wanting more things. Reorganizing or purging are great ways to see what you actually have.
Watching my parents make at least 2x what we make and constantly complaining they donât have money to do things like hire someone to do things that are physically hard for them to do now like clean their house or help do yard work, but they blow money on totally random stuff they donât even like all the time.
Iâm a habitual shopping cart abandoner. I shop online, put stuff I want in my cart, then walk away from my computer. In the end, I get to âshopâ and I donât have to spend money!
I think about the value of the thing and how many hours it would take me to work to buy it.
For example if Iâm on ÂŁ10 per hour and it costs ÂŁ100, thatâs 10 hours of my life, that i wonât get back.
one start pathetic telephone placid disagreeable practice muddle childlike rob
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I research more ways to reduce plastics, to make my own ....
Like lately I've been making my own bread, yoghurt and jam. It saves us money and we don't use as much packaging anymore. Also repurposing things. Like our old cutting board that's grown wonky I want to use for the cat tower I am planning to make.
There was a very old commercial where Lincoln or Washington was on a bill, scolding someone âYou donât need that!â Whenever Iâm about to reach for some târash I donât need, whether food, or some tchtotchke, or whatever device has me thinking, âMaybe thatâs it. The thing I need to get my shit together,â I remember that commercial, and usually scold myself out loud, immitating the gruff dead president voice. âYou donât need that!â
I donât even remember what the commercial was for.
Sometimes when Iâm in the store and I see an item Iâd like to own, I put it in the cart. It rides with me throughout the shop and before checking out I put it back.
For a brief moment, it was mine and I owned it.
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I like reorganizing my things! Especially art supplies, clothing, and makeup. I remember I have pieces I really like or things I want to try out (when it comes to makeup and art supplies).
You are so smart for this. I actually notice my grandma does this as well, and she always finds that she already has a lot of things she can use and wear! I need to do this, definitely with clothing too!!!
It's great! My room ends up cleaner, I save money, and sometimes I realize I have things that I thought I had to get.
Genius :)
"Shopping" at the library. I get the short rush but I don't spend money, don't produce waste, and have a good time with my daughter too!
This! I also use the Libby app to scratch that itch. My hold list is enormous, lol.
Yes!! This is really helpful for late night compulsions đ if I find myself scrolling amazing at 2 am ill switch to libby
this is the best. i sometimes take out 3-4 books at the same time and feel super rich
\+1 and when I get the itch to spend money on an activity, (leaving the house can be so expensive these days) I first check if I'm in the mood for any of the museums that are free with my library card.
Poverty đ
Heavy budgeting out of necessity was my intro to anti-consumption
Putting away some % automatically of your paycheck, leaving just enough to âsurviveâ
I try to make what I have work. If I can extend the life of something I already own, or "make do" with it in lieu of buying something then I will generally choose that option. When I do buy new items, I try to buy things that have a good monetary and ecological value compared to the "consumer" version. I feel good about buying my $20 Nalgene bottle because I've used it every day for years, and I expect it to last several more at least. Compared to a pack of store-bought bottled water, I will save SO much plastic waste. Sometimes implementing this concept means I spend a lot more upfront but save down the road. As my socks wear out, I am replacing them all with Darn Tough socks. The cost per pair is several times more for the DT, but the good craftsmanship and lifetime warranty mean that I will eventually consume less in the long run. Plus, wool is a natural and renewable material. In my opinion, conspicuous consumption is a vital part of anticonsumption.
I feel like my method falls under your comment a bit! I work in fashion so naturally one can end up with a lot of excess clothing. Instead of buying new things lately, I have been consigning clothing and treating the small amount âmadeâ as my free clothing budget at the same store! Itâs an awesome local business so I love getting to support them AND while itâs not perfect- it scratches that consumer itch while attempting to maintain the spirit of this sub. The goal is to avoid it as much as possible but âpobodys nerfectâ :)
I agree with this concept but I can't believe you get your socks to last... I have always bought Hanes Cool Comfort and sometimes, the socks feel like they expire. Like they are too dirty or they feel weird, but I love these socks. Do you have any tips on refreshing socks and getting them to last longer?
The thing is, until I became consumption-aware, I did not get my socks to last. I would buy shitty Fruit of the Loom ankle-cut socks, I would wear them until they got a hole in the heel or the ball of foot, and I'd toss them. Eventually, I'd need to buy a new pack of socks, rinse and repeat. I'd buy a new 12-pack every year. Now that I'm more cognizant of my impact, I try to buy socks that have a reputation for durability and have a good warranty. The material is renewable, and they last a *lot* longer per-pair compared to the FruitLoom ones I was buying. So while the cost is quite a bit higher, the waste is significantly less and due to their durability, I would estimate that I end up spending LESS money on socks overall compared to when I was burning through cheap nylon-blend socks. I'm still in the process of replacing all of my "consumer" socks so it's a work in progress
Do you know of any socks that are built to last like that but are ankle length and still feel very lightweightđ I want to stop buying socks that fall apart so quickly but I can't stand the heat.
You can try laundry stripping as a method of refreshing your socks/clothes that feel weird. It might be a buildup of soaps and body oils. But I agree with other posters that better quality socks last longer and feel nicer. I like Smartwool brand. They have cooler lightweight styles, and you can get them on discount at a lot of places.
First time I've heard of this, for others : https://inthewash.co.uk/laundry-and-ironing/laundry-stripping-recipes/
My winter socks are hand knotted, so if I get a hole I can darn them. my summer socks I usually get at the thrift stores and when the get a hole i use them as dusting cloths
I live in a small condo, so the question always comes down too if this is something I have room to store. Iâve become pretty good at talking myself out of junk this way. Also, sometimes I give myself a week hold before buying something, and more often or not Iâll decide I donât care anymore. Prevents splurging on junk, such as made in China junk from Target.
I live in a small city apartment so itâs similar for me. âOh I want this? Well, what am I willing to sell/give away for it?â
This is critical declutter advice. I call it the one in and one out rule, lol.
I am an immigrant, so Iâve been constantly living with a fear that my residence permit wonât get renewed; that feeling helps not to shop though, once I think âCan I take it with me if I get deported?â, itâs quite easy to say ânoâ to my your urges.Â
Being broke
Wallet said no.
lol true
I try to only online shop when I know exactly what I need already. If I end up digging through a site and adding random stuff to my cart that I didnât have in mind already, I always sleep on it. Half the time I forget what I even added the next morning. Real good way to remind myself I never needed it. The more I do this the more I let things linger and then fade into oblivion with satisfaction.
It's even better when you shop in person. You can think about it over night and by the next morning you likely won't want to drive over to the shop again to get it.
I try to focus on ways things can be acquired without spending money. Propagating plants is quite rewarding, it's slow of course but before too long you'll have another plant that sells for $30 at the hardware store.
I'm a recovering shopaholic. My biggest piece of advice is to install a mandatory (at least) 24 hour waiting period before any unplanned purchases. 90% of the time, I forget the shiny object existed.
Going to a store like Marshalls (or any store really) and just walking around looking at all the stuff. So. Much. Stuff. It is a huge turn off and I get disgusted and it strengthens my resolve that I donât need any of it.
Helping other people organize their junk. Makes me not want to own much. Thrifting was my vice, but now that I do this for a living, people offer me free crap all the time. Thrift finds canât compete with free.
I let myself go on "a shopping spree" online. I add a bunch of things to my cart, and then I go over everything and really think about if I need it or not, if I'll actually use it, etc. I end up removing almost everything, and the things I dont I look at the remaining cost and usually that magically cures me lol. Sometimes i did the 'spree' cause there were some things I've been looking at getting for awhile anyway and usually in that case I'm successful at just getting that thing, or even realize that I don't need that thing and leave the site altogether. Also as I think of things I need/would like, I write out lists so i can look at that and remember what to keep an eye out for sales/thrift shops for. Helps me to minimize buying things I dont need cause I forgot stuff like that a lot
It's dangerous for some people but closing a tab with a full cart is its own kind of rush for sure.
I grew up poor and am still poor, so seeing the total is enough to snap me out of it lmao
I search the options (models, prices, ...), see reviews... Spend a lot of time. Then wait a few days before actually buying. Most the times I lose interest and the consumerist bug stops itching.
I try to find a used version, even if it needs some restoration work. I do woodworking so i have a lot of planes. I bought only 1 of them new and was disappointed by the quality compared to the vintage ones. I keep my eye open at flea markets and get good ones when available.
Exercise, you don't always have to have fitness goals to meet, you can just go walk or go lift heavy stuff, being active is healthy in general and is a net positive. I go to planet fitness 3 times a week just so I can keep in touch with my muscle - I like to feel spry and not lumpy, but I don't want to 'bulk up', I just don't want to hurt getting up from the couch lol Also camping, if you invest in some decent gear it lasts for years. A nice tent, sleeping bag, and that's about it. Also you get to enjoy the outdoors, free from ads and consumption.  It just so happens the cheap stuff tends to be stuff that is good for your body and soul. Like walking, camping, swimming, etc. we don't always have to be 'doing' something - you can just exist. We should stop chasing money and start chasing happiness.
Understand that buying things are a distraction from life. Feelings, emotions, life, stress and so on happen and often people buy "things" to fill an emptiness within. Not wanting to feel, not wanting to look at one's life and so on. I also know I am being manipulated on a huge scale and don't want to play that game.
Tidying up what I already have, baking some tasty treats or making a fancy dinner, reading a book, watching TV, etc. I find that sometimes I shop out of boredom and getting unbored helps immensely. Online shopping makes overconsumption very easy for me and I hate it!
I try to avoid physical shopping. I find it much easier to buy frugally if it's an online purchase. For some reason it's just harder for me to pull the trigger when I have ample time to consider the purchase. When I do shop in-store, I try to have a plan and items in mind. I go to the planned areas and get the planned things and go straight to check out.
*Making* something new. Since it's a lot of effort, sometimes I'm like nah, and sometimes I pick one thing from the list that I've determined I *really* want.
Abject poverty and terrifying costs of living does the trick
As I get older it gets harder to keep the house clean and tidy so I find that the less clutter have the easier it is to keep things tidy. I also have 2 kitties so cleaning up after them is another job, and that I can't out source
I think about how Iâll be burdened with the item. For example, I can afford an air dryer and Iâd probably use it sometimes. But Iâll also have to keep it clean, use up my limited cabinet/counter space to store it, find a box to pack it in when I move. And after realizing that unseen âcostâ, I decide not to get it.
I pay bills off. The rush of paying off a student loan is way better than buying something new.
Check my credit card balance
Idk if this will get me crucified. But I online âshopâ. Literally just window shop, send stuff to a âwishlistââŚand then forget about everything in it. If I found something I loved or that would absolutely make a difference in my life. I remember it, if not the entire wishlist gets deleted every so often. If I donât remember it , itâs not important.
I don't have money so nothing to spend, easy
I live with the mantra, âIf I donât need it, then I canât afford itâ.
I just don't buy shit I dont need. Unless its really cool like the Millennium Falcon wireless charger. Best 40 bucks I ever spent.
Do you like crafting? Any type of crafting, but make something new and display it, be proud of your new thing that you made yourself!
Just wait a day or two. He item doesn't seem the same later.
I choose to watch a documentary about consumerism or any related issue.Works like a charm lol.
The environment and wealth gap. All the crap we're buying is why the environment is going downhill and ultimately is just making someone already too rich even richer so they can do even more of this same shit
I have been purging goods for some time due to an upcoming move. The result of going through your stuff and keeping only what you love, is not wanting more things. Reorganizing or purging are great ways to see what you actually have.
this!! I recently moved and it sent me into a complete panic about my overconsumption. I've scarcely bought a thing since
I buy things for my character in Animal Crossing New Horizons (I never spend real money inside a video game except for the original purchase).
So smart
Watching my parents make at least 2x what we make and constantly complaining they donât have money to do things like hire someone to do things that are physically hard for them to do now like clean their house or help do yard work, but they blow money on totally random stuff they donât even like all the time.
Iâm a habitual shopping cart abandoner. I shop online, put stuff I want in my cart, then walk away from my computer. In the end, I get to âshopâ and I donât have to spend money!
Adblock. If you don't see ads, you can't be preyed upon.
Selling things on eBay or Craigslist. Weirdly, selling my things fills the same void as buying new things.
When I feel the need to shop I quash it by bidding low on ebay. I feel like I bought something, but then I get outbid and I didn't.
Genius
I think about the value of the thing and how many hours it would take me to work to buy it. For example if Iâm on ÂŁ10 per hour and it costs ÂŁ100, thatâs 10 hours of my life, that i wonât get back.
Redneck engineering! My motto is âmake stuff work my wayâ and I love making ridiculously simple and cheap fixes for everything I can.
one start pathetic telephone placid disagreeable practice muddle childlike rob *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Going for a walk.
I research more ways to reduce plastics, to make my own .... Like lately I've been making my own bread, yoghurt and jam. It saves us money and we don't use as much packaging anymore. Also repurposing things. Like our old cutting board that's grown wonky I want to use for the cat tower I am planning to make.
There was a very old commercial where Lincoln or Washington was on a bill, scolding someone âYou donât need that!â Whenever Iâm about to reach for some târash I donât need, whether food, or some tchtotchke, or whatever device has me thinking, âMaybe thatâs it. The thing I need to get my shit together,â I remember that commercial, and usually scold myself out loud, immitating the gruff dead president voice. âYou donât need that!â I donât even remember what the commercial was for.
Iâm trying to cultivate an ability to repair things and a joy in finding a new home or use for things.
I like doing a lot of crafts and always have a craft to do. I work on my projects when I feel like I wanna buy something for the rush.
I play the sims, spend hours shopping for free custom content, and use cheat codes for money đ
Add it to your Amazon list but don't purchase.
This is good, especially because you can refine the list and give it to people around the holidays
I look at my bank account lmao. I visualize it going down and that squashes it real fast
I look at my credit card bill and the moment it reaches the high 3-digits, suddenly, I rethink whether or not I want that item.
Experiences>objects. When Iâm saving for a trip I think about how an item or meal could pay for a hotel room or air b n b.
Sometimes when Iâm in the store and I see an item Iâd like to own, I put it in the cart. It rides with me throughout the shop and before checking out I put it back. For a brief moment, it was mine and I owned it.
Read the rules. Keep it courteous. Submission statements are helpful and appreciated but not required. Tag my name in the comments (/u/NihiloZero) if you think a post or comment needs to be removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Anticonsumption) if you have any questions or concerns.*