What?

It is often said that you are what you buy -- by purchasing things you show what is of value to you. In that sense it is said to see that most people have a tendency to buy cheap, short-lived rubbish. It appears that the main concern is how often you buy something, rather than how good it is, or how long it lasts. What does the saying imply about such buyers?

A more sustainable variation on this saying could be you aren't what you don't buy. If you insist on ignoring commercial seductions you usually end up being much more sustainable, and in the same way you have found something else that can make you just as happy and self-satisfied as just having bought something nice. In fact, controlling the urge to purchase vaguely useful stuff is much more rewarding than actually buying it for the lowest price you can find.

The major change in thinking you should undergo is to ask yourself with every new purchase if it is something you need, and if so, if the quality is good enough to last long.

Why?

Trying to own the latest and greatest items on the market is a ratrace without a finish, and without a winner. You cannot ever achieve a satisfied feeling because there are always newer and improved versions of what you just bought. This can actually be quite stressful. By asking yourself "don't I own all that I need to live happily?" you turn it around and will find your inner rest much quicker.

Liberal government parties tend to speak of the importance of economic growth. That is, a growth in total expenditure, regardless of the cause being more spendings per person or a growth in the number of persons. The concern of such parties is often that they want a market that is as large as possible, so more entrepeneurs have a chance of selling their products. But for a consumer, a growing market is a useless metric.

Social parties usually speak of purchasing power. This details the degree in which a person or family is able to buy new things, and that is of direct interest to consumers. But this too can be overrated -- it takes much less to maintain a steady, pleasant life than to walk along with the latest trends.

By not spending money to lesser requirements, you can save money that you can invest in more useful things: maybe solar collectors on your roof, or when your washer breaks down you could consider a replacement that is more efficient with energy, but more expensive to buy. In the long run, you will earn back these investments. It is often said that "money makes money" to express that people with money usually acquire more money easily. This is often due to using their money smartly, independent of income.

Mindful and withholding consumption is not just good for your own well-being; it is also better for the environment to purchase a product of good quality once in a while than to purchase a lot of bad ones in a row.

How?

It is good to know that advertising brochures are not made to offer you pleasure, but rather the selling party. The shop usually purchased a bulk amount and needs to get rid of it.

The biggest pleasure you can do yourself is to stop reading brochures. This means you will not be seduced to purchase things "just in case" and in practice end up not using it much. Brochures tickle you so you will "gather stuff" but in the end it rarely gives you more value of life.

It is important to be mindful and think for yourself. Do you really need the facilities that a new mobile device offers? BlueTooth headphones need recharging, does that make sense if wired headphones work just as well? If you purchase a new device, isn't an abonnement a form of cheating you into paying more? Do you think it is fair trading if you end up paying more in year 2 than in year 1? And come to think of it, how pleasant is it to always be in reach?

Another trick of sales is to appear cheap. Always look at the prices themselves, not at how flashy or cheaply they are presented. Also, with chains, consider the possibility that they may be trying to out-compete local stores. When local stores are closed, such chains tend to increase their prices. Is a one-time money saving really that smart?

Finally, stores and manufacturers collaborate in working on children. Nothing is more annoying to a parent than a child's tantrum, and if getting them quiet takes EUR 1 to EUR 5 they are tempted to take it. The child will learn that the tantrum worked, and will play the same game next time. The result: you pile up unhealthy candies and easily-broken toys -- and old toys are not used anymore, even if it isn't broken. It could be a lot smarter to buy durable (wooden?) toys and maintain those, and perhaps even trade it with other parents. This will teach children wire lessons about the value of toys, and it avoids that they learn at a young age that it is important to gather as much stuff as possible.

In practice, it is good to lend things if you only enjoy them temporarily. Books can be lent from libraries, there are toy-lending programs in some countries and places, and magazines can often be lent in weekly bundles. Films are for hire in videotheques, or even more fun, cinemas. Cinema visits are often undervalued: the quality is much better than you can afford at home, and it is an actual night out and an excuse to meet your friends; something that home cinemas tend to reduce. The costs of lending or renting are often much lower, while the value added to your life increases. Moreover, it saves you owning a lot of rubbish that piles up in your homes, and that simplifies your everyday life and makes it easier.

Where?

In the Netherlands, we have a concept of speel-o-theques.

Every decent city has a library.