Saving money on self centered shopping has does not have to be complicated. We rounded up the essentials so you can spend less and skip the guesswork.
Key Takeaways
- How self-centered shopping has made me happier with the things I buy Written by J.D.
- Roth | Published: 22 September 2022 - Updated: 05 December 2023 | 13 comments 2 shares 2 I’ve changed the way I shop over the past few years...
- And although the shift has been subtle, I’ve found that I’m much happier with the things I buy.
I’ve changed the way I shop over the past few years. And although the shift has been subtle, I’ve found that I’m much happier with the things I purchase.
In the past, my approach to shopping was simple. If I wanted a new thneed, I would go to a store (or, with the advent of the internet, a website) and choose from the available thneeds. I’d look at the store’s selection (or the website’s selection) and pick the one best suited for me.
If the thneed I wanted was particularly expensive or key, I might expand my search to multiple stores or multiple websites. But typically, I stuck with the first store I visited.
The key point here is that I allowed the places I shopped to impose limits on the thneeds available to me. I think of this approach as “store-centered shopping”. Whatever the store has in stock defines my universe of options.
Now that I’m older, I’ve flipped the script. Instead of allowing the marketplace to define which thneeds are available to me, I decide exactly what I want before I begin my search. I put myself and my needs first. Once I know what I want, I take the time to locate it. What I want is almost always out there somewhere , if I’m patient enough to track it down.
I think of this approach “self-centered shopping”. I’m putting me first, and that’s a Good Thing. In fact, that’s an Excellent Thing! This method consistently leads to greater satisfaction with the things I purchase. Instead of picking up affordable, mass-market thneeds, I’m buying thneeds that feel as if they were specifically made for me.
Let me give you a concrete example.
Buying a Wallet
Every five years or so, I need to replace my wallet. The old one wears out (or gets lost), so I purchase a new one.
The way this has always worked for me is simple. My wallet falls apart (or turns up missing), so I head to a nearby department store to look at their selection. I browse the wallets on display, pick the one I like best, then purchase it. It becomes my wallet for the next five years.
This is how I’ve always bought wallets since my very first one. I’ve been doing it for more than thirty years.
In 2019, I noticed my wallet was beginning to fall apart again. “Time to purchase another,” I thought to myself, and I realized I was dreading the experience. Just as always, I’d go to the store and choose from a wide selection of sameness. But here’s the thing: I don’t like most wallets. They work for other people, but they don’t work for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoPf98i8A0g
I’m not George Costanza. I don’t carry a lot, and I certainly don’t pack much cash. I just need something that fits in my pocket and allows me access to a few cards. I don’t want bulk, and I don’t need leather. I wanted to purchase a wallet that worked the way I worked.
Around this time, I happened to walk past a Secrid store. Secrid is a Dutch company that manufacturers minimalist, metal-based wallets. Intrigued, I stepped inside to browse their selection. I nearly bought a Secrid Cardprotector that day, but ultimately decided they were too minimal. (The Cardprotector lets you carry six cards, but that’s about it.) When I left the store, though, I knew I’d use a different approach to buying this wallet.
I made a list of the things I wanted in a wallet. I wanted:
- The slimmest form factor possible. I used the Cardprotector as a baseline: 63mm x 102mm and 40 grams.
- A clear slot for my driver license.
- The ability to carry both my personal credit cards and my business credit cards.
- A place to carry three or four banknotes.
- A little bit of extra room for things like insurance info, my library card, and receipts.
With these parameters in mind, I scouted Amazon. I checked REI. I visited other stores and sites. I found plenty of minimalist wallets - including lots of Secrid knock-offs , but nothing that met my needs.
Then I remembered Tom Bihn. The Tom Bihn company specializes in travel gear. Their Synapse 19 is my go-to backpack not only for daily use, but also for extended international travel. (No joke: I’ve used this simple 19-liter bag for three weeks of European travel before.) Tom Bihn is terrific at packing a lot of features into a small amount of space. Did they sell a travel wallet? They did!
The Tom Bihn minimalist wallet was exactly what I was looking for: three pockets and the same size as the Secrid Cardprotector (but half the weight). If I were to design a wallet for myself, this is what I’d design. I bought one. I’ve been using it ever since, and I love it. (Kim loves it too. She ordered one for herself, and she’ll now frequently carry that instead of a purse.)
Self-Centered Shopping
My wallet story is a simple example that illustrates my new approach: self-centered shopping. I used to allow stores to define my universe of options, which meant that I rarely bought the thneed I actually wanted. I simply bought the closest thing available to my ideal.
Today, I’m fussier. I’ve learned to take the time to think through what it is I truly want in a thneed before I purchase one. I quite literally take out an index card and make a list of requirements so that I don’t forget something key while I’m shopping.
Yes, this self-centered shopping approach is frequently more expensive, but I’m okay with that. As I get older, my patience for poor quality grows shorter and shorter. When I purchase things , especially things I use every day , I want quality. I want them to meet my needs. And, if possible, I want them to be a pleasure to use. To quote Marie Kondo, I want the thneeds I purchase to “spark joy”.
I feel like self-centered shopping is one of those things that some people will consider blindingly obvious: “Of course that’s how you should purchase things! Why would you do otherwise?” But for me, this is a new concept.
When I was young, our buying choices were limited. We lived in a small town in rural Oregon. Plus, my family was poor. When I wanted to purchase a thneed, I could choose from those available at Mangus Variety or Parson’s Pharmacy. That’s it.
Today, though, I’m older, which means I’m more patient. I have more money than I did when I was younger. And, most importantly, the internet exists. When I want a thneed, I’m not limited to the stock on hand at the pharmacy and department store. Without exaggeration, I can purchase any thneed in the world…if I can find it. And that’s why I start by defining exactly what it is I want before I begin my search.
This self-centered shopping approach has also drastically reduced my impulse shopping. Turns out I mostly succumb to impulse shopping when I don’t actually know wha
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on self centered shopping has goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at getrichslowly.org.
