Do you have that craving to buy endless stuff? Know Diderot Effect and how to curb it!

"The strongest of all psychic forces in the world is the Unsatisfied Desire".

Not in the literal sense but human tendency aligns to buying new things each time something new launches in the market. Also, this alluring desire to buy "up to the minute" stuff doesn't stop at one item but goes on to compel us in purchasing related material as well. This is called Diderot effect.

For example, when a person gets a new gym membership, he puts on his tracksuit for the same. After working out for the first few days, he realizes that his shoes don't go along with the intense strength training that happens at the gym. So he decides to buy a brand new compatible pair of shoes. After that, almost immediately he also feels the need to buy an activewear and other gym accessories. Here, we can see that, working out can be done in any generic brand clothes without having to buy a lavish gym activewear if we already have a pair which perfectly serves out purpose. This is Diderot Effect.

For an instance, the urge to buy new furniture for your newly purchased house even when the current furniture works absolutely well can be coined as endless spending.

Effective Hacks to avoid endless spending

- Know that you are getting this feeling of buying more.

- Make yourself aware and realize that you already have the required stuff with you.

- Question yourself - Do you really need that stuff?

- Postpone the materialistic desire until the next time. This will help you curb your craving of buying that item until it is really essential.

- Go through the gym plan and it's fees, or that house rent or that new car you just purchased. This will trigger mindfulness about expenses and will keep you from buying unnecessary stuff.

- Remind yourself that looking good doesn't make you good. Remind yourself that clothes or stuff you own do not define your status.

- Possessions don't define you. The abundance of your life is not measured by the things you own, but by the little things that give you immense pleasure and happiness.

- Usefulness of the material is of outmost priority over impressing other people with it. Realize this!

So, the next time you go buy that recently launched vibrant Smartphone for yourself, refrain from buying it's seemingly discounted but really expensive accessories.

Remember that going broke while looking rich is the worst trap one can get into in this luring, shining world of today!

Carve an impression through your life, your words, your habits & your overall being and not simply by the Armani suit or Rolex hanging around your wrist.

Written By

Neha Shilamkar