End Your Consumerism

We spend a lot of our lives collecting “things.” We fill our homes with trinkets, furniture, clothes, and accessories, and sometimes we even find it therapeutic to buy new “stuff” to add to our ever-growing collections.

But therein lies the problem. By and large, we are conditioned to find a degree of fulfillment in the act of buying, while the importance of the actual item we are purchasing comes in at a distant second. Why? Well the simple answer is because we are consumers, through and through. We feel a rush when we get something new, something fresh and shiny, something that we didn’t have before. But there is another way to approach buying, and it will put an end to empty consumerism.

Stop buying things on sale. Quit shopping in the clearance section. Stop valuing the act of purchasing, and start valuing the purchase itself.

When we decide to make a purchase, whether it’s an article of clothing or a piece of furniture, the first part of our decision making puzzle tends to be price. This is perfectly acceptable – we all have a budget, and no one wants to break the bank. But the first step to ending empty consumerism is to set your focus onto the more important piece of the puzzle; will this item add some form of value to my life, home, or style, and is this something I need? If you’re ready to pull the trigger on a purchase, the answer to these questions should always be yes. That might mean you have to save for a few extra weeks to afford it, and it might mean spending a bit more than you initially anticipated. However in using this framework to make your buying decision, you’re putting the emphasis on the value of the actual item instead of the act of consuming and just “getting a deal.”

“Stuff” leads to clutter, and clutter has no value or importance. But if you carefully choose the items you invest in and bring into your life, you’re adding value, quality, and connection to the items around you and on you. Curating a collection of clothes, shoes, home decor, and accessories means that you’ve taken the time to examine each piece and ensure that it is something you are going to appreciate and use, as opposed to buying pieces on sale just because it was in front of your face, and only $20, and felt like a great deal.

This idea of valuing the item over the act of purchasing is the entire foundation behind our Urban Beardsman store. Our carefully curated collections are comprised of items that our team have chosen for their value, have used day in and day out because of their quality and durability, and have come to have a deep connection with.

It’s the same reason our Beardbrand store doesn’t feature sales or discounts – we don’t want you to buy our products just because you’re getting a deal, we want you to decide to hit “Purchase” because you truly feel that you’re adding value to your life, your style, and your grooming routine.

So take an important step in changing your mindset and ending your empty consumerism. Ask yourself the right questions, put the emphasis on the importance and need of the things you buy, and quit looking for sales. Choose carefully, and remember that when you value the purchase, it’s an investment in yourself.