We all want new things — a Smart phone, new clothing, a great vacation, better teeth, more education… The list could go on and on. I have interviewed many of my coaching clients and have noticed that they all seem to be reaching for something else continually. Then when they finally do get it, they begin reaching for yet something else, and this cycle repeats itself over and over. Have you ever wondered why we are not content with what we have?
Think of all the advertising dollars spend on cosmetics alone — it’s in
the BILLIONS! Of course, we want to look nice, but the desire to impress others with our looks leads to wanting more and more. Maybe once we’ve achieved a certain look, we think we might need a bigger home with a nicer bathroom, but this could lead to “needing” a bigger shower, a hot tub, or a better automobile to impress our friends with our happening new look.
If you add up all the marketing messages we all receive each day, we are being bombarded. Because of technology, social media, electronic advertising, text, emails, and more we get hit by advertising over 10,000 times a day! Consider this, if each of us gets barraged with tons of offers to purchase something every day, sooner or later we’re going to be enticed to purchase. When one person makes a purchase, this adds pressure to their family and friends to keep up with this so-called need, and that’s when consumerism becomes habit forming.
How can we combat this never-ending marketing pressure? My answer is simple:
- Build a spending plan
- Prioritize your needs and wants on that plan based on available income (it must balance)
- Track your spending to stay within this balanced amount you have to spend.
A spending plan helps you take care of your highest needs first. So if you want something more than these prioritized needs but your money is already spent, then you can see clearly that there is no money for this extra spending — problem eliminated! You will stop feeling the pressure to purchase because you have a plan and are tracking according to that plan, which puts you, not the advertisers, back in control of your money.
Sign up for the Basic Program at www.moneymastery.com and pay $4.95 a month to build your spending plan. There is no contract so you can cancel at any time, but I urge you to see for yourself how to push off all the selling pressures by creating spending plan that will get you in control but also be fun to follow.
I’d like to hear about your results: peter@moneymastery.com.
