I was thinking about the TV programmes where people have houses full of junk and clutter, stuff they've probably bought on a whim only to be shoved away in a corner somewhere and forgotten. Then I was musing about all the little tricks that encourage us to spend more/consume more than we actually need.
- Like souvenirs. It's the done thing to come back from a holiday with souvenirs of the places you've visited. It doesn't matter how tacky they are, as long as they prove you've been to X, Y and Z. Personally I don't go in for that, I buy something because it's pretty or amusing or informative, but not as a souvenir.
- Like fashion. Just about everything is now subject to the whims of fashion. Have I got the latest smart phone or the latest trainers or the latest lavishly praised bestseller? The answer is no, I don't have the latest anything, only what I take a fancy to. With my stout shoes and dumb phone and umbrella I'm gloriously unfashionable.
- Like elaborate weddings. It's not enough to pop round to the local registry office, you should be dancing and carousing in some exotic location and getting expensive presents from all the guests. Well, too bad, Jenny and I were happy with the local registry office.
- Like the idea that your kitchen/living room/bathroom is looking a bit "tired" and needs updating. Why not blow a few thousand on "refreshing" it and impressing the neighbours?
- Like the idea of pampering, of treating yourself. Feeling a bit low? Life's getting you down? Then why not give yourself a little treat? How about a box of chocolates, or a manipedi, or a hairdo, or a box set?
Souvenirs: Before we stopped traveling I bought scarves as souvenirs; I remember each place when I wear them.
ReplyDeleteFashion: I hate the words new and improved. I subscribe to "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." For instance, I've been wearing Crocs for many years and they do me just fine. I do have a smart phone but it is also many years old.
Wedding: We got married in the church we attended but we only had 75 guests. And we did it at Christmas time when the chapel was already decorated.
Home update: we are about to get new carpet. Where we live they replace carpet every seven years and that's how long we have lived here. It's free and ours is worn so why not?
Pampering: I don't do any of those things, either.
Linda
Linda: Wow, 75 wedding guests seems quite a lot to me! I assume that in most cases "New and improved" doesn't mean anything except new packaging and a higher price.
DeleteThey were mostly aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings.
DeleteLinda
Linda: Still a pretty big family!
DeleteSouvenirs are usually just junk, so I agree. I hated that part of Times Square and of course the gift shops at a lot of attractions world-wide. Fashion seems to cater to the younger crowd, so I don't pay much attention to it anymore. Weddings here are now becoming destination-focused, which is even more annoying, IMO. The focus is off of celebrating with friends and family because there aren't many who can afford the time and expense to get to the ceremony. We've always turned them down.
ReplyDeleteI do like to update my home, but not because I'm trying to impress anyone. We bought the house when it was 21 years old and much of it now is worn out and has never been my style.
I also don't mind some forms of pampering and don't see it as a trick, as I'm only spending money on things I like.
Bijoux: Oh yes, gift shops, I should have included them. Good for you turning down weddings that just mean too much time and expense.
DeleteBoth my weddings were small and minimal. My first I was married at home with just family in front of the fireplace and the 2nd one (the best) was in a small church, with maybe 30 friends. I see young people going into debt for the "wedding" and parents going into hock for these $20,000 weddings. They honestly don't impress me. I'm more impressed with the simplicity of things. Like my husband came in and told him a book store is going out of business and everything is 40% off. I told him, we could get 100% off by not going - we honestly don't need anymore books until we start giving away some of what we already have. Good post.
ReplyDeleteDebby: Good response to your husband's suggestion! Jenny's always tempted by more books even though we have about a thousand books already!
DeleteThe extravagant weddings are beyond stupid. There is little more to say on the subject. Throwing money away on anything on that list is ridiculous. My dad said, when I told him how much money we'd saved at a sale, "How much did it cost to save all that money?" And I've looked at it differently since, over fifty years ago.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: Exactly, spending money to save money is ridiculous. But sales are a big attraction for many people.
DeleteHaving just avoided a $100,000 family wedding, I applaud those who do the blue jeans thing, minimum attendance of beloveds and not a gift grab of any kind. I hand craft items for these family weddings but know they collect about $1,000 from each guest. It's obscene. And like yourself, I wear "unfashion" and often used.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
www: $100,000 on a wedding is crazy. Surely the point of a wedding is simply a formal commitment to each other, not a big blow-out?
DeleteWe are pottery lovers and in all the countries we visited or where we lived, we bought one beautiful pottery piece from local artisans. Nothing else and never those tourists rubbish you find in nearly all countries . We consume very little even when we were young , what do we really need ? Not much . Spending so much money for a wedding is incredible, we assisted some years ago to the wedding of friends daughter who wore a wedding gown that costs around 100 000 euros. She had a wedding gift list where she asked to offer money for their honeymoon vacation to an exotic island. . My husband got crazy, he wrote a simple card wishing them a nice future and I found it really obscene. I always think that even in.our Western world many people struggle to organize a decent life. And in a poor country a whole village will survive for a long period with such a sum.
ReplyDeleteAnd special treats ? Well we have each other which is much more than anything else. Happiness of an old couple .
Hannah
Hannah: A wedding gown costing €100,000 is absurd. And asking for money towards their exotic island honeymoon is breathtaking. As you say, the money they're spending could keep an entire village in some countries. Wishing them a nice future is the response they deserve.
DeleteOnce I stopped working my attire could best be described as bag lady chic....it's comfortable and that's what I want. As to the rest, no souvenirs as such, but ceramics if we saw something we liked...weddings - a civil ceremony with a couple of friends present.....we don't like fuss and show.
ReplyDeleteFly: Fuss and show isn't for us either. I guess my post-working attire is kind of grandpa chic - shirt, jeans and M&S jumper.
DeleteI think marketing is more obvious these days - especially all the email ruses. Adverts on TV lack the inventiveness of the eighties.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a sucker for some of it!
I did the registry office thing and big party in the garden - cheap as chips.
Sx
Ms Scarlet: TV adverts seem to be increasingly surreal and focusing less and less on the product itself. A big wedding party in the garden, that sounds ideal.
DeleteThe whole modern wedding industry is disturbing. So much money is spent. It's obscene. Tom and I just went to a justice of the peace with two witnesses. That was it. As for souvenirs, when I was young I felt compelled to get something. I'm not sure why. Now I realize taking pictures is more than enough. Fashion? I'm not even sure if I understand what that is, ha. Just more oppression and judgement.
ReplyDeleteColette: Yes, a JP and two witnesses was our choice as well. At the end of the day you're just signing a contract, so why all the palaver and extravagance?
DeleteThese days I only buy what I need. When I was younger I spent money on stupid stuff but not anymore.
ReplyDeleteMary: I was never an impulse buyer, I buy what I need and that's it.
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