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More Materialism, Not Less

There’s a post that’s been rattling around in my brain for a year or two on this topic, but for some reason, I’ve never sat down to type it up.

homemade applesauce

But now that I finished Happy Money, I’ve moved on to Saved, which I’d had on hold at the library.

(It’s sort of funny that after reading a book about how money can buy happiness if spent properly, I am now reading a book about how happiness comes from not being so tied to money.)

Anyway, the other night I came across a paragraph in Saved that was exactly what I’ve been thinking about. It’s like Hewitt was in my brain or something.

Here’s what he said:

“We speak of materialism as if it were something bad and even sinful, but sometimes I wonder if we have it all wrong. Maybe what we need isn’t less materialism, but more, to the point that we actually respect and even revere our material goods, rather than see them as disposable and constantly begging to be upgraded.”

Yes.

A thousand times, yes.

I know sometimes people chuckle at the delight I find in something as small as a stainless steel ladle, (or a funnel, for that matter) but I hope my enthusiasm is an example of the right sort of materialism.

I had an old, junky, plastic ladle which was at the end of its life, and instead of buying a cheap replacement (which would need to be replaced again), I researched the options and bought a slightly expensive ladle that should be around until I die, and which may possibly still be in use after that.

(Future great-grandchildren: I’ve got you covered on the ladle front, ‘kay?)

One issue in our flooded-with-cheap-goods culture is that we pretty much can have anything we want at any time. I think this easy access to Stuff causes us to value our Stuff less.

Though I suppose this is something of a chicken/egg scenario, because I’m not sure if cheap Stuff makes us value it less, or if we value Stuff less when it’s super cheap, but no matter how you slice it, it’s an unfortunate situation.

I don’t know how to solve the cultural problem at large, but I think if we bought fewer items, with less frequency and more thought, we’d really be on to something.

Again, Hewitt said what I’ve been thinking:

“Of course, it doesn’t help that disposability is purposefully engineered into the overwhelming majority of the products offered to us. To seek out true quality requires the determination to look beyond the convenient venues of big box retailers and online mass merchants; needless to say, it also demands a willingness to pay for the upgraded materials and craftsmanship such quality demands.”

Yup.

Sometimes people are a wee bit surprised that I frequently recommend products that are on the pricey side of things, but I think this meshes very well with my commitment to frugality and with my desire to reduce my trash output.

I would much rather pay up front for a quality item than “save” money by buying a cheaply made item that will have to be replaced and thrown away.

Interestingly enough, I think that shopping this way gives me more happiness bang for my buck. Sure, I don’t buy new things all the time, but the things I do buy are well-made, beautiful things that are a joy to own and use.

(Disposable items are kind of ugly, after all.)

Plus, since the purchase of a new item is very much not an everyday occasion, I derive more joy from the purchase than I would if I routinely bought new stuff.

(Incidentally, the authors of Happy Money shared that we enjoy things more when they don’t happen all the time and when we have to wait for them. Want to enjoy shopping more? Do it less often.)

You know, I wonder if maybe the key is switching from consumerism to a more mindful materialism.

It’s good food for thought, and if the rest of Saved is as good as this first part, I’m going to be sad when the book ends.

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Jo@simplybeingmum

Friday 11th of October 2013

My washing machine is 14-years-old. It's motor has been stripped down and rebuilt plus many other things. A bit of labour and a part and we've been back on the laundry road once more, each time. Recently it stopped working. The Hubby suggested maybe it was time to let it go to the scrapyard in the sky. ยฃ2.85 for a part off ebay and a bit of fiddling....and guess what, the trusty old washer is churning away in the room next to me as I type. Now if I could just keep it going till I have grandkids...now that'd be something to aim for!

Stephanie

Friday 18th of October 2013

YES. I remember when I finally decided there was no good reason to keep using the cheap plastic colander that was only half usable because of the huge hole that had melted in one side. I bought a new, heavy, enameled colander and gleefully threw the crappy one away; that was 12 to 15 years ago, and I have no reason to expect to ever have to buy another one.

The first time I read this post I was getting ready to go to Lowe's. I needed to replace a power extension cord that SOMEONE sliced through with the hedge-trimmer. The old one was cheap; the new one is heavy and resistant to such mishaps. As with the colander, I really don't expect to have to buy another one for many years.

I'm going to like this way much better, I think.

Laura Vanderkam

Thursday 10th of October 2013

I'm trying to take this approach to clothes...but it's really hard to find stuff that doesn't fall apart. The assumption is that you'll want new clothes, I suppose.

Ana

Thursday 10th of October 2013

LOVE this post, and thinking about reading the book, too. This is something I am slowly learning. I am slowly making over my wardrobe with more expensive, higher quality pieces---I'm done with my training and pregnancies and in a stage I plan to be in for many years, so it makes sense to have a wardrobe to match. Its an initial investment, but I expect these clothes will last more than a season or two, so cost-per-wear will be similar, if not better. Similarly in our home, I am waiting to purchase furnishings I LOVE and that are well-made and long-lasting. We went without a dining table for 2 years until I found the perfect one, and it makes me so happy when we sit around it for dinner! Unfortunately, there are some things that just tend to conk out sooner than I would hope for---we do a ton of research and buy what we think are high-quality kitchen appliances, but we've gone through several toaster ovens and coffee makers and rice cookers over the past 10 years. I remember as a child having the same toaster over for 20 years...I'm suspecting they do indeed plan obsolescence (boy that's a tough one to spell!) into the manufacturing of small appliances these days.

Taylor-Made Ranch

Thursday 10th of October 2013

(jumps to feet and cheers wildly) YES! This is also my mentality. I'll spend more on a quality product and shun the cheaper product that will not only underperform but be more than likely thrown away and replaced much sooner. I'm a big fan of cast iron, stainless steel and real wood. Like you, buying things is very much NOT an everyday action for us, but when we do buy we first try for used (antique stores or thrift stores) and quality. In the end, we spend much less money for much higher quality. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this post with us today!

~Taylor-Made Ranch~ Wolfe City, Texas

Yvonne

Thursday 10th of October 2013

This is such a good post. Something I think about a lot!

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