5 Things I No Longer Buy
First things first, I'd like to clear up exactly what I mean by the title of this post - Things I No Longer Buy doesn't exactly mean that I never buy these things. It really means that I only buy things when I need to. Stopping the purchase of stuff you won't find value in, increases the value you find in the items you do own. Not only that, but you will find that it benefits your bank account. There are things I don't buy anymore, unless I need to :)
Sale Items
The time that really stands out to me is Black Friday. A magical time of year where everything in retail is discounted beyond belief. The UK have really only been party to this event in the last few years, but it's fair to say that they are not as invested in it as the US. Seeing televisions on sale for less than $50 is unreal, and very enticing. However, the chaos that the day causes is simply not worth it. All sales send the same message - 'you must buy this now before the price increases'. However, if you combat this message with the thought of 'do I really need this?' - it allows you to make a logical thought and purchase items you really value, rather than buying excessive stuff that you know you'll never use, but you buy anyway simply because you believe you got a good deal on it. Of course, if you need something that just happens to be on sale, why wouldn't you go for it - but you're buying it based on a real thought, not an ad.
'New & Improved'
You've purchased the latest, all singing all dancing, new phone. You're incredibly excited to get it home and use it for hours on end. You're not 2 weeks into the new gadget, and you see an advert for a newer version. What a thought! It happens all the time with new purchases - knowing that you no longer have the latest and greatest. I used to think this - but who really cares? Is there really that much of a difference between the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 8? No. Here's the hard truth, the more you try to keep up, the more stress you have, and the more debt you have. Accept the fact you will never keep up and you will live a much happier life. There's always a new and improved version of whatever you buy. And if you buy the new and improved version, you'll find a later and greater version after that. You'll never win. Enjoy what you have.
Books
Living in a world of access as opposed to ownership is a wonderful time. It allows all of us to obtain anything from almost anywhere in the world, without having to own these items. It's a time saver, a cost saver and a space saver. Books are a big one for me on this. I am one of very few people I know that have a Library Card. With this, I can access a huge number of books, read them, and then return them. If I was to buy every book I have read, I would have very limited space, much less money, and it would really irritate me. The value is in the words, not the physical asset.
Souvenirs
Going on holiday is an amazing time to purchase useless items such as fridge magnets, snow globes, and other souvenirs. Whilst in Rome, I had a brainwave in the middle of a souvenir shop while wondering what I can take home. I questioned myself as to what I do with these things once I get home. Thinking back to previous trips, I have some volcanic rock, a mini Eiffel tower, a letter opener in the shape of a samurai sword, and an array of other items that I have never used since bringing them home. So what is the point of them? To simply have them for the sake of it? The memories lie in the experiences. We don't need a fun shaped lighter to look back at the trip and think of was a good time.
Clothes
Do you ever have an annual clear out of clothes? I did. It never phased me at the volume of clothes I just threw away each year. Maybe it's an age thing, I'm not sure, but in recent times I decided to get rid of any clothes I don't wear regularly (with exceptions of winter gloves, hat etc.). Now, every piece of clothing I wear, I love. There's no need to debate on what to wear, because I love it all. I don't have to buy any clothes because I don't need any. If you're interested in trying something like this out, have a look at Project 333 by Courtney Carver. It's super interesting and quite popular. You'll be surprised at how easy and effective it is.
If you think you're overspending, or have too many items in your home cluttering it up, you may with to cleanse and declutter. These 5 items are a great place to start. Let me know how you get on!