Deal With Consumerism

Proverbs 21:20 (NLT) – The WISE have WEALTH and LUXURY, but FOOLS spend whatever they get.

Are you the type who spends whatever you get, you might have to just check through your life and examine the things that actually make all your money go away and puts you in a place to keep borrowing, are a consumer or an investor, is your appetite for spending great or are you a person who surrounds him or herself with those who are spend thrifts? You could be eating your future a way by the decisions you are making right now - every decision has a consequence. Indeed our lifestyles really dictate our personal finance.

One of the things that we all need to agree on is that we have a large appetite for many things. You find someone having 10 fleets of cars, yet you can only drive one at a time, having 5 smart phones, yet you can only use one a time, having 100 pairs of shoes yet you can only put on one at time, in fact we have a lot of things that we have spent on that are not being used. Everything you acquire should have a purpose, because without a purpose, abuse is inevitable.

We live in a world where a phone manufacturer will release a new version of the same phone but with only one or two enhancements. The first thing that comes to mind then is that we should have the latest (keeping up with the Joneses), so we keep saying I need to upgrade and the upgrading comes with an expense that is not even planned for.

Until we deal with our urge or desire for things, then we shall remain enslaved or controlled by what's coming out there. TV adverts, music videos or even movies have been the place where many adverts are pushed forth and the more we feed our minds on such things the more it becomes normal to acquire things you don't need to impress people you don't know. It is better for adverts to come and find you prepared, because when you are prepared, your spending will be purposeful. You can't be caught off guard and it will also build self control and kill the urge to want what you don't need.

We have to delay gratification if we are to win with money. What we hunger for simply becomes a god in our lives, it becomes our master because we have failed to master money by telling it what to do.

Our lives have also been programmed. You find on such and such a day there is this big event, it isn't bad to go out but it is good to plan your going out to avoid being caught up by the crowd and having to borrow to keep spending to keep a lifestyle that is superficial and isn't adding value but only destroying your destiny.

When you make money, the first thing to do with it, is not to spend but to save. Think like a farmer, farmers always have to keep seed after every harvest for the next planting season. If you have no seed then you might as well have no food. Remember your ego can cost you, selling that car and using a taxi might look like you have dropped but it is just part of the game plan. 

I know of someone who left a very expensive house they were renting and went to a cheaper but still good place. They put off all thoughts like, "What will people think!, My standard has dropped etc", now they live a life of freedom and even have more money to support others, they have stopped living for themselves and have the others in mind.

Here are a few things to note:-

1.Don’t spend money you have not made (This makes many borrow with the hope that money will come, what if it doesn't?)
2.Don’t be under the slavery of your desire or the good life
3.Don’t try and live by other people
4.Don’t eat tomorrow’s food today (Always save)
5.Don't buy out of impulse
6.Plan
7.Work on a budget - A budget tells you where your money should go.
8. Save to Invest (Saving is not for addition, it is for multiplication (be fruitful))
9.Think long term (Be Visionary)
10.Cut down on your expenses.

Read more Is Impulse Spending Ruining Your Financial Goals?