8 Mantras For “Slow” Buying
By: Katie Martin
Tags: Decluttering, Consumerism, Minimalism, Clothing, Fashion

8 Mantras For “Slow” Buying

How to resist fast-paced consumerism by making shopping decisions that bring you happiness in the long run Katie Martin Sep 2·4 min read

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Some jobs only exist to enable you to shop from your couch — and they pay quite well. A whirlwind of targeted advertisements, strategically timed sales, and enhanced shipping logistics can overpower your good sense if you don’t take a step back. Being so, it’s best to have some tools in your tool belt to resist such fast-paced consumerism.

In the past few years, I’ve prioritized making intentional purchases by slowing down and giving each order more consideration. Along the way, I’ve adopted several “mantras” that address the ways I’m pulled to shop irrationally.

1. I’ll never “arrive,” so take my time

When we bought a new house, I had an urge to buy all the furniture before we even moved in. I wanted the space to be finished on day one. Instead I paused, stepped away from my laptop, and resolved to start with a few critical pieces and build from there.

Your space, your wardrobe, and your lifestyle will evolve. You will never have a finished product, so take your time. Start with a couch or a good pair of jeans, and give each additional purchase decision the time it deserves.

2. Soul mates don’t exist

There will always be an item that is perfect for you. Sometimes you feel like the branding speaks to your soul (and identity), but nothing is truly so special that you’d regret not buying it. Like a large wave, that rush of excitement for a material item will pass if you ride it out.

In the end, product-invoked emotions are very intentional, and it helps to stay cognizant that your urge-to-buy is professionally engineered.

3. Having the right thing later is better than having the wrong thing sooner

A major theme of these mantras is to “wait it out,” and this one is no different. You could be tempted to choose something because it’ll arrive one week earlier, or you might keep something you ordered online just because you already have it.

If you’re not 100% satisfied, then it’s better to return it and search again. It might feel like too much effort in the short term, but in the long term, it’s far more satisfying.

4. It can be appreciated, but not acquired

Some things are completely my taste, but I still shouldn’t buy them. First, I may already have something similar that fulfills the same function.

Secondly, it could be a fleeting interest; therefore, I ask myself, would I have wanted this five years ago, and will I want it in five years more?

Finally, I take a mental scan of my current lifestyle (or wardrobe) and try to think critically about how I’d use this item. If I can’t picture it (or style it with multiple things), then it’s not going to work for me.

In short, you want to buy things that are necessary, timeless, functional to you. Anything else you can appreciate, but leave at the store.

5. Sales are forever

If you sign up for any retailer’s email list, you’ll notice just how often sales come and go. There is nothing inherently special about a discount.

More so, if you don’t buy much to begin with, that extra savings won’t make or break you in the long run. It’s better to pay full price for the right thing than to get a discount on the wrong thing.

If I do buy something on sale, I ask myself, would I pay full price for this anyways? While getting a discount is great, never let the sale itself push you to the cash register.

6. Less is more

Having a piece of furniture to fill every corner will not improve your life. In fact, it will diminish from it as you spend more time acquiring, working for, and maintaining your stuff.

The same goes for wardrobe; ultimately, it’s better to buy clothes you’ll wear 100 times or more instead of buying 100 or more clothes. The more time you spend on purchase decisions, then the less things you’ll have and the more things you truly appreciate.

7. It will still be there

Scarcity isn’t real. You can walk away from a potential purchase knowing that, through some avenue, it will still be available to you. That may be through another store, an online resale site, or even the fact that very similar item does (or will) exist.

If you walk away from something and have to purchase it at a higher price later, then so be it. Adopting this mantra and other slow consumerism habits will save you more money over time.

8. Personal transformation can be found elsewhere

One study found that product-evoked emotions can be a driving force behind our purchases because we think they’ll have a transformative effect on our lives. In other words, we shop in order to “reinvent” ourselves.

I try instead to seek that reboot through a personal project, a spa night (at home), or any other clutter-free activity that can replace a shopping urge.

Final Thoughts

Depending on the item, a purchase decision may take me days or weeks. I spend this time first considering the necessity of the item, and then I browse online to compare and contrast the different options. Not only am I spacing out my serotonin hits from acquiring something new, but I’m also giving each purchase the time and energy it deserves.

Since I’ve been “slow” buying, I’ve found even more satisfaction in the stuff I already have. Now I open up my closet to an intentional and curated selection, and that becomes a feel-good experience itself — I don’t need to shop just to escape feelings of dissatisfaction.

As I continue to buy intentionally, these mantras help me slow down, take a deep breath, and step back. Each purchase I make is always better with a little bit of time.