Holidays, Commercials, and Consumerism

Watching TV, we see commercials.
Listening to radio, we hear commercials.
Surfing online, we see online ads.
Driving on the roads, we see billboards.

What do most of these commercials and ads have in common?
They are telling us to spend!

This past weekend is memorial weekend. Along with New Year, Valentines, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the other special days and holidays, what do they have in common?

All the stores will be enticing us to spend money with deals on those days!

I am not against spending. Hoarding money is not our purpose. I believe in spending money to reach a certain quality of life that bring us and people around us happiness, so long as we follow the simple rule of spending less than what we make, distinguish want from need, and/or really understand that the things we are purchasing WILL increase the quality of life. For example, I love music, so mp3 brainer is a no brainer. It is okay to spend!

But observing all the ads/commericals and holiday deals, I am amazed at what these marketers are doing. In this age and days, they have associated the idea of spending with saving. If you pay attention, most of these ads basically say something like “Spend $x to purchase [item] and save $y” or “Get this deal and you will save x%”. Obviously, they want to manipulate/brainwash people into thinking that buying these things will save them money. It would be true IF all those items are a necessity in life.

Maybe I am pointing out the obvious, but I think it is important to point it out in order for all of us who are in pursuit of financial freedom to be clear and understand not to fall fow it :)

Bottom line is, Spending does not equal saving.

Originally posted 2007-05-28 22:32:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter