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People Pay for Nonsense.
People pay for nonsense. It is a fact of life. How many unnecessary things do people buy because they think they are a necessity? How many of the things that people crave are really unimportant? Did you ever think that marketers invent these things and then create a need for them? Of course, that need is no need at all. It is just a marketing ploy to convince people that the thing is necessary.
The cosmetic industry is a prime example of creating a need. Just how many of those products does a person really need? When you consider the cost, how good is the return? Does a person get the wonderful looks for which she paid? Or is it just another paint job that fades by the next morning? Is body wash anything more than liquid soap?
How did people live before energy drinks, fast food, hair conditioner and cold cream? What did children drink before “juice in a box”? What did people do for entertainment before water parks and extreme roller coasters?
Are you buying a product that actually benefits you, or are you paying for hot air?
Take away the hype and salesmanship, and what is left?
A good example is fast food. Ever major burger chain has its premium stacked hamburger. These things consist of beef patties, buns, lettuce, tomatoes and some kind of sauce. Each burger chain has its own hype and its own fancy name for its premium burger. Yet in the end, what are they? It is just another variation of the old California Hamburger: beef, lettuce and tomato on a roll.
Our mercantile society is fueled by the need to sell. Marketers are always looking for something new to sell. Half the time, it is just an old product that is repackaged in new hype. The rest of the time, it is an unnecessary product for which the marketers create a demand. (They convince people that this useless new thing is actually
necessary.)
One of the ways to cut expenses is to question purchases. Take a good look at the products you buy. Are they really necessary? Do they give you something you need? Are you getting you money’s worth.?
If you question your purchases and work to spending less on frivolous things, you will free up your money for important things. The money frittered away on trifles does add up. Ask yourself: do I need it?
The answers may surprise you.
