Fooled

Due to the economic crisis in the world, looming threat of losing ones job anytime, and no wiggling out of mortgage payments and many other self inflicted expenses , I have been thinking greatly about my spending habits and ways I can improve them.

I have made deliberate effort to wind down my shopping sprees unless absolutely required. Not going to the malls, help. Once at the mall, I am bound to buy unnecessary things. With two kids and full time job my mall visits has been reduced tremendously so that took care of some aspect of it. However I am still working on my online shopping addiction problem. I have unsubscribed to a lot of "whats new in the store" and "sale of the year" emails. These "once in a lifetime" opportunity to grab the most trendiest or the best deal may end up as lifetime punishment. So beware!


Apart from all these personal dilemmas, I have also been pondering about somewhat bigger question which is “why do we buy branded stuff?” this was actually prompted by a discussion I had with a friend over the weekend (you know who you are!) Seriously what drive us to buy $1000 handbag or $200 baby outfit or a $400 pair of shoes. A $50 handbag can serve the same purpose and so can a $10 baby romper.


Some would argue it is the quality that they go after, it may be true in some case but I think it should only be considered for things that are used very frequently. An example would be sneakers, which have to be rough and tough. I would rather buy $100 Nike/Addidas sneakers than $20 Joe Shmoe one, because it will be worn out in a few weeks.


The next unspoken reason for such splurging is to “fit in the crowd”. You want to be cool and hip and hope that your peers will admire/like/envy you. So if the company you hang out with is carrying Louis Vuitton bags you would probably skip meals to save enough money to get one as well. You don’t want to be an odd one out. Fitting in the crowd enhances self confidence and reduces insecurities within you.


Another reason is to announce to the world that you have done "well enough" for yourself to be able to buy such expensive items. You are a successful person and whether this financial success came through marrying into rich or working 80 hrs/week doesn't really matter.

Beside yearning for personal satisfaction there is also another underlying phenomenon in works for such behavior. Marketing.Each brand name is marketed as a lifestyle.Consumers are brainwashed persuaded that acquiring such items will somehow improve theirs as well.

I'll tell you how true that is because when I see a girl carrying lets say a Gucci bag, she is groomed walking confidently on Manhattan streets I always think admiringly "she has pulled it all together so perfectly". This is exactly how brand names market their products. However when I am carrying/wearing such an item I swear to you I don't feel anything close to being perfect. Sometime I feel like I am cheating others because there is nothing perfect about me or my life. In fact it is more like, I was cheated by the marketing gigs and all those "perfect" women walking on the streets.

This remind me of a conversation I had with another friend:

friend: I wish I had Asthma
me: woah .. what??
friend: have you seen those ads for asthma inhalers
me: umm..yeah
friend: all of them seem to have perfect lives in thier beautiful houses, enjoying vacation with adorable kids.. who doesnt want that?

*ahem*

OK so does this mean I won't splurge again

dream on buddy

I love to be fooled. I love to fit in the crowd. I love to show off.

So as soon as this economic crisis is over and I have at least 12 month of mortgage payment saved in my checking..watch me.. I'll sprint to the mall and buy a $400 pair of sunglasses and then stroll like a model on the Manhattan streets.

But right now I am heading toward Target as I have $10 coupon for an $40 women accessory ;)