Are We too Materialistic?
I know we don't say it out loud though what we prefer to say is the things that we purchase because we can be so proud of them. People argue against the naysayers that they have the right to purchase as they have worked hard for it and they deserve to buy them just to show they can afford it as well. Well of course you deserve them but you don't have to brag it all the way and making those who can't afford feel like they are not up to their measurement. Generally, people will have the thinking that if you don't have this this this, it means that you have not succeeded in life. So our happiness is now being measured by the number of expensive things that we own. What a twisted concept.
So is this material pursuit a good or a bad thing? I wouldn't comment as to how far people have gone in their pursuit as long as we are not becoming more and more self centered that we couldn't care less about what goes on around us. And I dislike it too when people puts others down because they just can't measure up to them in terms of owning expensive goods. If you know of such people, I tell ya that you are obviously better off than them despite not owning a single branded bag. If they are in need of someone to talk to when things get them down, they can always talk to their LV bags.
As long as you spend within your means, and not resorting to borrowing or maxing out your credit card, I don't see any harm either. It's only a problem when it gets out of hand and you end up struggling to even feed yourself.
For myself, I am contented with what I own. I have gone beyond a stage where I just keep buying and buying what I deemed fit to own. But over time, I realize that I am wasting much money away which would have been better spent elsewhere or kept properly for emergency use. It's also a waste because after I buy something, and then buy something else again, for example yet another bag within a short period of time, I won't feel like using the previously bought bag anymore because the feeling of proud ownership has gone.
But lest you think that I am a reformed shopper, I'm afraid not and this will happen when I have extra spending power and I can afford to splurge a bit on myself like when I get bonus. Did I tell you how I broke a pair of sandals that was so well used and was actually given by aunt? Then I actually waited to get my bonus just to get a new pair, never mind if I can afford to buy a new one as long as it's cheap prior to that, and then guess what? I ended up with 5 new pairs. It didn't help that during this time it's also the sales period. If I bought just one, it will be so funny coz it was already so dirt cheap and then it looked like this well known shop was going to close anytime based on the very low prices. Therefore I got two. And then I bought two pairs of sandals from Cotton On because they were selling them at 2 for $30. Again, if I bought just one, I would lose out coz the next pair, I would pay just $10 for it. The last pair, well let's just say it was unnecessary and it was a spur of the moment purchase. Luckily it didn't cost much or I would have gone too far already.
So I would say that I fell to the calling of sales. I have in turn become materialistic. When one or two pairs would have served me well, I ended up buying a few. At least now I know if I broke one, I don't have to worry because I have another few pairs...haha. For now, I guess I have to forgo buying a new pair for the next few months. While I complain that I have big feet that do not allow me much choices in shoe wear especially heels, this pair of big feet let me save money so that I don't buy unnecessarily.
I can't say that I'm thankful that I'm fat as it means I have less choice in buying clothes and hence, save money. That's not it..haha..
That's also why I can't comment much on those who make extravagant purchases, even for small items like kitchenware which they bought them from top notch makers and cost quite a bomb. I myself am veering quite close to that. But I manage to pull myself out or snap out of it before I go crazy on my purchases. I would have bought one new top after another while I don't exactly need it anymore. What I do sometimes is to vision myself how much money I would have saved if I have skipped buying this so and so item. I will feel better knowing that I didn't just buy coz I know the money would have been better used elsewhere and not just to feed my family.
In this day and age, anything can happen. How we live our lives now may not be the same as how we live our lives tomorrow. I live in a modern society so naturally, things are on a more expensive side even for basic amenities like water and electricity and I have to learn to survive well in this concrete jungle. I can't afford to the materialistic side of me every now and then. I will just be snubbed out so easily.
Those people living the high life may fall hard on the ground should something happen to them one day and they see themselves in very undesirable life conditions. The job that they have right now, they may lose their jobs one day because the way the economy works, you can't always predict it. You may heard of rags to riches stories but do you also know of riches to rags stories? It can happen and it has happened.
So always know where you stand and know where to draw the line. Nothing is for sure. You have to think in that line rather than always thinking which coach bag is in season right now. What is in season now, is for you to make sure that you work on getting substantial savings for rainy days. As long as you get that in the right perspective and spend within your means, you can go ahead and get more than one pair of shoes.
follow me at http://twitter.com/rahayupopz
So is this material pursuit a good or a bad thing? I wouldn't comment as to how far people have gone in their pursuit as long as we are not becoming more and more self centered that we couldn't care less about what goes on around us. And I dislike it too when people puts others down because they just can't measure up to them in terms of owning expensive goods. If you know of such people, I tell ya that you are obviously better off than them despite not owning a single branded bag. If they are in need of someone to talk to when things get them down, they can always talk to their LV bags.
As long as you spend within your means, and not resorting to borrowing or maxing out your credit card, I don't see any harm either. It's only a problem when it gets out of hand and you end up struggling to even feed yourself.
For myself, I am contented with what I own. I have gone beyond a stage where I just keep buying and buying what I deemed fit to own. But over time, I realize that I am wasting much money away which would have been better spent elsewhere or kept properly for emergency use. It's also a waste because after I buy something, and then buy something else again, for example yet another bag within a short period of time, I won't feel like using the previously bought bag anymore because the feeling of proud ownership has gone.
But lest you think that I am a reformed shopper, I'm afraid not and this will happen when I have extra spending power and I can afford to splurge a bit on myself like when I get bonus. Did I tell you how I broke a pair of sandals that was so well used and was actually given by aunt? Then I actually waited to get my bonus just to get a new pair, never mind if I can afford to buy a new one as long as it's cheap prior to that, and then guess what? I ended up with 5 new pairs. It didn't help that during this time it's also the sales period. If I bought just one, it will be so funny coz it was already so dirt cheap and then it looked like this well known shop was going to close anytime based on the very low prices. Therefore I got two. And then I bought two pairs of sandals from Cotton On because they were selling them at 2 for $30. Again, if I bought just one, I would lose out coz the next pair, I would pay just $10 for it. The last pair, well let's just say it was unnecessary and it was a spur of the moment purchase. Luckily it didn't cost much or I would have gone too far already.
So I would say that I fell to the calling of sales. I have in turn become materialistic. When one or two pairs would have served me well, I ended up buying a few. At least now I know if I broke one, I don't have to worry because I have another few pairs...haha. For now, I guess I have to forgo buying a new pair for the next few months. While I complain that I have big feet that do not allow me much choices in shoe wear especially heels, this pair of big feet let me save money so that I don't buy unnecessarily.
I can't say that I'm thankful that I'm fat as it means I have less choice in buying clothes and hence, save money. That's not it..haha..
That's also why I can't comment much on those who make extravagant purchases, even for small items like kitchenware which they bought them from top notch makers and cost quite a bomb. I myself am veering quite close to that. But I manage to pull myself out or snap out of it before I go crazy on my purchases. I would have bought one new top after another while I don't exactly need it anymore. What I do sometimes is to vision myself how much money I would have saved if I have skipped buying this so and so item. I will feel better knowing that I didn't just buy coz I know the money would have been better used elsewhere and not just to feed my family.
In this day and age, anything can happen. How we live our lives now may not be the same as how we live our lives tomorrow. I live in a modern society so naturally, things are on a more expensive side even for basic amenities like water and electricity and I have to learn to survive well in this concrete jungle. I can't afford to the materialistic side of me every now and then. I will just be snubbed out so easily.
Those people living the high life may fall hard on the ground should something happen to them one day and they see themselves in very undesirable life conditions. The job that they have right now, they may lose their jobs one day because the way the economy works, you can't always predict it. You may heard of rags to riches stories but do you also know of riches to rags stories? It can happen and it has happened.
So always know where you stand and know where to draw the line. Nothing is for sure. You have to think in that line rather than always thinking which coach bag is in season right now. What is in season now, is for you to make sure that you work on getting substantial savings for rainy days. As long as you get that in the right perspective and spend within your means, you can go ahead and get more than one pair of shoes.
follow me at http://twitter.com/rahayupopz
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