No Buy Pledge

[kemmler3D]

I think if you personally perceive an issue where you're buying too much stuff, this is a good goal to set. If you don't feel that could be an issue (either financially or otherwise) then it's something for other people. NBD.

With a recent little addition to the household, this would be impossible for me to implement, although it becomes more appealing almost by the minute, with all the things proliferating in every room now.

Semi-related ... I also finally caught an episode of Hoarders and was taken aback by how I felt I could relate to the titular characters... it seems like only a question of degree. I'm the kind of person who will keep 50 plastic shopping bags in a cupboard because they might be useful at some point. I seem to lean toward accumulating stuff and away from getting rid of it. Needless to say, I have a lot of audio cables, some not used in ~10 years for the same reason. And idle amps... and speakers... sitting in the closet... for... reasons.


I think my saving grace is that I like to buy & sell on secondhand marketplaces, and am happy to give something away as long as I don't feel it's going to waste. When it's time to make space, I can do it, I don't have a mental breakdown. But otherwise I just keep cramming stuff into drawers and cabinets without a second thought...

I think a "no buy" pledge is maybe not something I need, but could keep me pointed in the right direction. I have a 3D printer if I find myself in need of any random plastic crap in the meantime...

 

[respice finem]

The stuff I didn't need at some point, either got sold (together with the old house, which I luckily sold as ist was, with furniture and all), or given away in the (big) family, or donated. I avoid hoarding things, but stuff like computer cables etc. is an exception, because you never know when you need it, but mostly you will eventually. Throwing away, then buying again is not very smart, better to have that box in the basement...

Some stuff, like old books, can have a "second life" - I've made 3 big floorstanding diffusers on the cheap, using my and my parents old books.

 

[LF78]

If it's a personal goal to put under control an impulse perceived as an addiction I can respect it. If it's done as "political activism" instead, it just demonstrates ignorance on how economy works: discretionary goods still support entire industries, that support thousands of jobs, families, etc... and I don't think that crashing the economy is a respectable goal to have.

 

[Sokel]

I was seasoned by the "cheap meat is finally eaten by the dogs" since I was born, so no impulse buys for me, likely ever.
I prefer to wait so I can get something nice to keep for a long time, be it audio, cars or even shoes (I'm addicted to hand-made Italian ones but once a year is enough, they mend to last for life normally) .

Last time I bought something from Amazon was some FFC/FPC ribbon cables couple of years ago and that's it.
Mouser couple of times a year for my DIY stuff and that's about it.

The "No Buy Pledge" is nonsense to me. Every financial and buying decision has to be viewed through time. A lot of time.
I have no idea of economics, I rely on a trusted company I use for 20 years now for it.
But all this turmoil has probably an underlaying grim cause.

Let's hope it won't burst at the force it seems it will.

 

[mhardy6647]

lus I retired a few years ago, have a lot of projects I put off and I'm addicted to Slickdeals.net No Bueno.
https://slickdeals.net/

Don't click Don't click Don't click...
I clicked.

 

[respice finem]

...Every financial and buying decision has to be viewed through time. A lot of time...

Yes, but, this requires a certain degree of maturity, which many, despite being adults, simply don't have.
This, plus the sales pitch...

 

[Sokel]

Yes, but, this requires a certain degree of maturity, which many, despite being adults, simply don't have.
This, plus the sales pitch...

Patience is a guardian angel, there's no greater lesson than "the dessert after your spinach" (God, I'm talking with sayings )
And sometimes, the anticipation is more valuable than the reward itself.

I would be nothing without self-discipline, that's for sure. No saviors needed after you master it.

 

[respice finem]

Self discipline, many have heard of it, but they don't have it either...
Sometimes I think, too much welfare for too long is not good for the society's resilience.

Speaking of spinach, my scales say, I must activate my self discipline and curb the desserts in favor of spinach

Medice cura te ipsum...

 

[Oddball]

Let's hope it won't burst at the force it seems it will.

Must admit I share your concern. There were prior periods of crisis that were luckily more or less easy to bridge. People lost money, but that is how it's supposed to work. Some crisis lasted more than the others but system was ready to take it.

Nowadays, so many clouds in the sky, difficult to say which ones will disappear, bring rain, or hail. I don't think we could withstand another 10 years of markets not rising. Nobody counts on that, even if historical fact, and that would most likely break the system as we know it.

Watching the Foundation show on Apple TV is pretty interesting. I'd say we have the third crisis coming up, although we might or might not have the Mule.

 

[Sokel]

Self discipline, many have heard of it, but they don't have it either...

Not to mention that is a LOT of fun breaking it sometimes. If it's true of course.
Every other joy is mediocre.

 

[Sokel]

Must admit I share your concern. There were prior periods of crisis that were luckily more or less easy to bridge. People lost money, but that is how it's supposed to work. Some crisis lasted more than the others but system was ready to take it.

Nowadays, so many clouds in the sky, difficult to say which ones will disappear, bring rain, or hail. I don't think we could withstand another 10 years of markets not rising. Nobody counts on that, even if historical fact, and that would most likely break the system as we know it.

Watching the Foundation show on Apple TV is pretty interesting. I'd say we have the third crisis coming up, although we might or might not have the Mule.

Everyone with open ears can at least hear the underlying slow boiling, There was never such a time that so many wanted so much, over and beyond from what they can earn.
The visuals are more powerful than ever and rule just about everything.

How can this end well?

 

[respice finem]

...so many clouds in the sky...

 

[Oddball]

Fundamentally it can't as it does not work in simple math.

But governments keep printing money that is not supported with real economic fundamentals. There are many governments and currencies so gets even more difficult.

But effectively, we are not really producing much more, and bots are about to take most of the jobs. Not to provide any comments on geo-politics as those are probably even more damaging.

As plates of earth fundamentally shift, we remain in dark as to what happens in the future. Never have I been able to see so little 10 years ahead, which is a scary thing.

 

[respice finem]

Everyone with open ears can at least hear the underlying slow boiling, There was never such a time that so many wanted so much, over and beyond from what they can earn.
The visuals are more powerful than ever and rule just about everything.

How can this end well?

I hope there is something similar in mass psychology to Newton's law of action and reaction.
Meaning the emptiness of "consumerism" will pass and voluntary frugality replaces it.
If not, sooner or later frugality will come, just not voluntary...

 

[Sokel]

I hope there is something similar in mass psychology to Newton's law of action and reaction.
Meaning the emptiness of "consumerism" will pass and voluntary frugality replaces it.
If not, sooner or later frugality will come, just not voluntary...

The person I absolutely look up to is a family friend of my parents, he's well in its 80's now.
The happiest person I know so far, really nice family, nice house with lots of property around it, etc.

His car? A sport 1970 Mercedes SL which he bought new back then (yes, its a real sport car, you feel like an arrow coming out the bow with its lag-less acceleration)
Never bothered to change it even if he can easily get a Maybach if he liked. His vice is strange gardening, that's all he does after retirement, raising exotic plants.

How can I not take his example for serious? The outcome of his life proves his point. No cheap thrills.

 

[respice finem]

This, and, his car is cheaper than the cheapest modern car, probably, if you count all things correctly.
Today a car must be fancy, full of features, some nice, some useless, and most importantly, it must become obsolete soon enough.
The trap of "eternal" growth.

Mine is 8 years old now, who knows how long it will last (or how long I'm allowed to drive it - it's a Diesel)

 

[Sokel]

This, and, his car is cheaper than the cheapest modern car, probably, if you count all things correctly.

Counting the cost through time? Of course it is, even with its service, etc (it needs nothing probably, the bare basics)
It does eat lots of gas though, but its a sport car after all. you don't get one of these to save.

Even after 55 years you get in and it screams quality and respect for the owner. At the Mercedes service people gather around it every time he gets it there.
Nice stuff are nice. Partly because they don't come in quantities, so we value them more.

 

[Timcognito]

In spite of making fun I am a naturally frugal person, as my blue collar parents and farming grandparents went through some tough times in the 1930s and before here in the Golden State and their habits stick with me. I put off buying anything extravagant, even my tools which I love and use daily, are how should I say, mid-fi. But if nice old used Rockwell or Delta from decades long ago shows up I'll jump on it if I need it. The Slickdeals site is no joke if you see something you know need. Bought two pairs of Levis jeans last week, $60 ea list on sale for $20ea, I jumped on it. So posting that site was a bit tongue and cheek... read all the comments if it's something new.

Trying avoid politics but it is embarrassing to me how the ethos of individualism has us looking the other way when we have so many hungry, poor and medically needy, here in the US. Seems like the motto is "make yourself great again", and let those other guys have national health care, and inexpensive and ubiquitous public transit.

 

[Groove01]

Maybe some in the industry don't want the vict... erm, customers to smarten up too much
My luck as a child was, both my parents were in executive positions (though it was quite another system in Poland of the 80s), so I knew the basics early.

The media and politicians certainly don’t. Much harder to “influence” educated people who think for themselves - lol.

My upbringing was similar and I’m trying to do the same with my kids. I push them very hard to think for themselves. I want them to challenge what they see, read, and what they are told until explained in such a manner that they either agree or can formulate why they don’t agree and explain it with logic and reason.

They are both smart kids, much smarter than I was at that age - lol.

As for the “No Buy” pledge, meh - I slowed down my spending in late 2022.

Irrational exuberance is generally a flashing neon warning sign. Especially when there’s a multi-year wait list for a Rolex and people are paying thousands just to get on the waitlist for a Bronco (and then selling the spot for $3k more than they paid )

 

[Oddball]

The person I absolutely look up to is a family friend of my parents, he's well in its 80's now.
The happiest person I know so far, really nice family, nice house with lots of property around it, etc.

His car? A sport 1970 Mercedes SL which he bought new back then (yes, its a real sport car, you feel like an arrow coming out the bow with its lag-less acceleration)
Never bothered to change it even if he can easily get a Maybach if he liked. His vice is strange gardening, that's all he does after retirement, raising exotic plants.

How can I not take his example for serious? The outcome of his life proves his point. No cheap thrills.

If in good condition, that car is easily more valuable that Maybach, which would entail $500K or more, depending on Maybach model. Not many of those around in good condition so becoming "classics".

I really love the heritage, and actually people make them user friendly with changing their sound systems and audio connection points so they can withstand 40 more years in the modern world. Doing anything under the hood would not be well taken by the collectors.