One way to reduce cost is to stop buying brand name clothing because of the brand. A lot of the times you can hit up places like Ross and Planet Exchange to find some really good deals on used designer name clothes for half the price. Most people are in the mindset of "consumerism" they believe they need the clothes because society and TV tells them that they do. And more than that their peers who are also consumers think they need designer name clothes as well.
To make wise decisions one has to break out of the mold of consumerism. Being a consumer is much like living in a box with a set belief system. Anyone that holds views contrary to this belief system and people and shunned as weird and outsiders. People don't really care what the politicians and those in power think about them it's what their peers think about them that seem to matter the most. It's like a prison system but people don't know they are in prison and the prison guards don't keep them in line - it's the other "prisoners" - their peers that do.
Imagine living inside a box with no windows and all you know is what is inside the box. You can only see what is inside - consumerism. If someone was to cut a hole in the box it would seem "strange". But the "strangeness" and unfamiliar-ism is a great opportunity for growth. You can never grow as a person if you are constantly experiencing the same thing day in and day out. Most people don't know what true freedom is because they are always living in the box so to speak.
The reason for this paradigm is that it is a trap. A work spend system. What I mean is that one makes money and then they spend it and the cycle continues. Their is no savings and no room for growth. What I mean is getting out of debt. Society tells you that you should reward yourself for your hard work. Go out and buy yourself something to feel good. What this turns into is nothing more than legal slavery. People buy things with money they don't have - i.e credit cards. And in the end they end up paying double for what they bought. And since they are so much in debt they have to keep working to pay it off.
What would it be like to have zero debt? To have all your needs meet and to be able to tell your boss to shove it because you can survive without the job anymore? This creates a situation in that your time is freed up to do what you want. Instead of hiring people to fix things you have the time to learn how to fix it yourself and learn new skills? Knowledge is power. But unfortunately most people don't have the time to learn or the energy because they are on the treadmill of working and spending their money.
Do you want to be a consumer or a producer? Remember being wise is all about good decision making. Everything that you do comes down to decisions from where and what you eat to the clothes you wear and the car that you drive. So next time you spend your money think for a second about the repercussions of your actions and if they really serve you. Do you really need that 200 dollar hand bag or 60 dollar shirt? Think about it.
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