90. Practical Steps to Escape Consumer Culture

In this episode, host Laura Sexton tackles the pervasive influence of consumer culture and its impact on our finances and mental well-being. With ads constantly bombarding us and social media amplifying the urge to "keep up with the Joneses," it can be easy to fall into the trap of emotional spending. The episode dives into mindset shifts and practical strategies to resist purchase temptations, helping listeners stay focused on their financial goals and build a lasting legacy.

In this episode we’ll:

.     Recognize the emotional and psychological effects of consumer culture

.     Implement 6 practical strategies

.     Find a support system or accountability group

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Transcript

Laura: 0:46

Hello and welcome to the Accelerate Your Legacy podcast. I'm Laura Sexton, your trusted financial coach and money mindset specialist. Join me as we explore the world of money and money mindset while also paving the way for a lasting legacy that extends far beyond money. Together we'll eliminate stress, amplify freedom, and ensure you stop paying for your past so you can start saving for your future. If you're seeking peace in your finances, more margin in your budget, and a legacy that inspires generations to come, you're in the right place. Hey, accelerators. Today, we are once again talking about a topic that is brought to me by one of you. This person sent me a message on Instagram and said, there are influencers that are pushing us to buy stuff all the time. The consumer culture that we are faced with navigating is constantly making us feel like we always need more. I could not agree with you more, my friend, and that is why we are going to be talking about consumer culture. Specifically, we're going to be talking about how to resist those purchase temptations that are constantly draining your finances. The average person is exposed to over 5, 000 ads per day. That's insane. And if we think about it, we do it to ourselves. We pull up our Instagram. We pull up social media. We sit in front of a TV with ads constantly being thrown at us. And some of us, I don't know if you guys do this too, will sit in front of the TV where there are ads. And while the ads are playing, we pull out our Instagram and watch more ads go by our faces. Oh, my goodness. What are we doing to ourselves? Guys, today, we're going to do mindset shifts when it comes to consumer culture and practical tips on how to overcome. So first, we're going to talk about what consumer culture is. The actual definition of consumer culture is a form of material culture facilitated by the market, which thus creates a particular relationship between the consumer and the goods or services he or she consumes. That's pretty self explanatory. You're like, yes, I know exactly what consumer culture is. It's me sitting here just consuming, consuming, consuming. Sometimes consumer culture is just consuming the ads and the negativity. Sometimes consumer culture is the constant spending of money and trying to accumulate more and more. It's the idea of keeping up with the Joneses. It used to be that we were looking at people down the street from us and going, wow, they got a new car in the driveway. I want one too. And now we're looking at every single person on the planet and comparing our lives with them. The amplification of comparison in our culture is destroying our mental health. So if you can get off of social media, please do. I mean, I know I'm on social media. I want to see you there. I want to meet you there. I know there are some good parts of social media, but I do know that it's messing with our brains and it's messing with us psychologically. So we need to be very careful about what we are consuming. The advertisements that we are consuming are constantly playing on our emotions. It's playing on there are only so many of these left. Playing on urgency, you only have a few more minutes to purchase this. I got six emails this morning on a course that is closing today and it's multiple people that are trying to get me to purchase this course. Only one person is selling the course, but multiple people are affiliates for this course that I follow. And so I got multiple, today's the last day, last day, you're going to miss out. I'm like, I'm not missing out on anything. One, I've already purchased the course. But two. No, I, it's not something that I want to purchase. It's not something that I need right now in my life. So no, I'm not missing out on anything, but that fear of missing out that urgency of today's the last day, that scarcity of there only so many spots left, it definitely plays with our emotions. You see, on the other side of this, right, the adverse emotions, there's the reward system that is triggered in our brains by shopping, and that's dopamine. We get a dopamine hit every time we hit add to cart, did you know that? Every time we can accumulate, accumulate, accumulate, and that's one of the reasons why I say yes, add it to your cart, and then abandon cart and run away. I was reading on social media, so I, you know, I, I'm reaching to myself here. Friends. I do try to limit my social media. I'm on social media. Maybe 30 minutes a day at this point. Most of the time it's to get on right now. I'm getting on. I'm trying to get people to come to the legacy building webinar that I'm hosting. Because I do think that I have some really important things to share and I went through my outline today and I'm just really excited about the people I get to share with you and their stories and how things have really turned around in their lives. And I've got a really awesome new membership that I'm going to be starting. You guys have heard the commercial on here. But this community that I'm building is going to be. It's going to be awesome. So I'm excited about it. So I was on social media the other day And I came across the money saving mom. Her name is Crystal Payne. I actually met her at a Ramsey conference that I got to go to last year, and she said that she walked into Target for the first time in a long time and was immediately surprised by what she saw. So she was going to buy three specific items that she's been planning to get for a while, but all of a sudden she was bombarded with all sorts of things that she quote unquote needed to improve her life. The home decor section reminded her that her bedroom was not matching with cute throw pillows and there were no curtains or bedspreads. The home organization aisle taunted her with matching baskets and racks and shelves. She walked by the children's clothing section and felt That she really needed to buy some cute new outfits to replace the used worn ones that our kids are wearing her hand me downs. She said the entire store made her feel like she was failing. She even walked by the puzzle section and wondered that maybe she should buy something to foster more family togetherness. She had walked into Target feeling content. It's kind of sad that target makes you feel like you need a whole overhaul to your life. And I have to tell you, I went to target the other day and kind of felt the same way. I told my husband, I said, I can't wait until we have a house that has some extra storage so I can buy all of the fall decor items and I can decorate my home for fall. I think the thing that I was looking at at the time was a different welcome mat that you could put in front of your door and they were cute. And I was like, I would love to have a different one for every season and a wreath to hang on my door and decorations like y'all, my kids are going to ruin any decoration that I put out. They are going to think it's a toy and they're going to run around with it and it's going to be a mess. But while I was there and I was looking at all the things I could buy, I wanted them, and I was no longer content with where I was at. There's a pressure to consume. So, we need to shift our mindset. Part of it is, don't go into Target. Just give yourself some space. If you don't need something, don't go in and meander, that's, that's part of it. If we can develop a conscious spending mentality, we can adjust how we interact with consumer culture. So the first thing, when it comes to shifting your mindset, is identifying your why. Define what your financial goal is, and then, Go towards that. Avoid unnecessary purchases that are not leading you towards your financial goal, towards the legacy that you want to build. And maybe, maybe you need to ask yourself that. Maybe you need to ask yourself, does this purchase lead me towards the legacy that I ultimately want to build? See, saving your money And investing your money. It's a powerful thing. It's empowering to have plenty of money around, to not need to rely on somebody else, to not stress out. Like, the idea of spending money just because you have it, that's scarcity. I'm never going to be able to get it again, so I have to get it now. Target makes everything in multiples. If you don't have it today, they'll have it tomorrow. It's going to be okay. But that's why delayed gratification is such an important thing. Should wait before making a purchase, especially big purchases. Delaying the gratification instead of getting it right when you see it. Think on it. Pray about it. Take a nap. I think that's really, really important is to, to delay some of these shopping experiences. I went to Target with a friend the other day and we were just killing time, which is, again, this is not the best way to kill time. We very quickly realized that our Just killing time was going to get expensive and we left but while I was there I saw a pair of shorts that I was like those look super comfy and I would really like those and I did not purchase Them but I was thinking about them for a week So the next time that I went to Target when I needed to buy some things for my children they needed shorts for their sports and I needed some maternity clothes because mine have now been through four babies and this fifth one, you know, I would, I just like my pants to stay together and stop falling apart. So I needed to buy some more. And while I was there, I saw those shorts and I was like, I need these shorts. They look so comfortable. I'm so excited about them. And guys, they're my favorite thing. I wear them all the time. My husband's like, do you own anything else? I'm like, no, these are the only things that are comfortable and I want to wear. But I wonder if I would have enjoyed them as much if I hadn't been thinking about them for a week before I purchased them. Would I have gotten as much joy? I don't know. You see, we have to be mindful around our spending. And this is something that I've had to really work on because I used to be that person. And as soon as I saw something, I would purchase it. And a lot of times with that, I was just buying it because it was emotional, it felt good in the moment. And it was just to fill a void. I was pretty lonely, I'd be leaving work and so I'd go shop so I could buy something to bring home. It would just be something that I purchased and I put it aside and I never look at it again. It's like my daughter buying notebooks. She buys notebooks and notebooks and notebooks and she loves them for a moment and then she buys another one. So the value of that one that she had that she loved for a week is gone. So when you go out and you're spending money, you need to be mindful about it and ask yourself the question, am I filling a void or does this align with my values? If you can ask yourself that question, And you can get really good at this. You can buy things in the moment, but you have to be really smart. So let's talk about practical tips for avoiding temptations to buy. Let's talk about it. One of the first really easy things that you can do is unsubscribe and declutter, unsubscribe from marketing emails, unfollow accounts, anything that comes up in your instagram feed that you're like, every time it comes up, I want to buy it. Get rid of it. Unless it's mine. Any marketing emails that are that are constantly telling you to purchase, purchase, purchase, you need to unsubscribe from those. Now, if they're, if they're giving you benefits, like my emails, I try really, really hard to make sure that every email I send out is something that's going to encourage you and something that's going to help you think about your money differently. That is something that I strive for. And then one out of every seven emails is something like, Hey, would you like to make a purchase? Would you like to work with me? But if you have emails that are just like Carter's. Carter sends me emails all the time, buy this now, buy this now, buy this now. I had to unsubscribe. I can't keep getting that because one, they send an email a day and two, I don't need all those baby clothes. I have plenty of baby clothes. Unsubscribe from marketing emails and unfollow accounts that cause you to want to make purchases. Step number two is set clear boundaries. You know what this is. You know, this is my favorite thing. It's called a budget. A budget is an easy, clear boundary that will help you limit spending on non essential purchases. You can use apps like YNAB. I'm going to have Cortney Kaveh come on in a couple of weeks to talk about how to use YNAB to the best of your abilities. Or you can use something like EveryDollar, which is something that I know pretty intimately. Or You can use some of my stuff that I have. If you were a pen and paper person, I have the better budget bundle for five whole dollars. My friends, you can have a pen and paper budget made specifically for you. And I highly recommend using something like that so that you can plan out your paychecks and know how your budget should go down. When doing online shopping. This is number three. The third practical tip to avoid spending temptations is to use the 24 hour rule for online shopping, add it to your cart, and then wait 24 hours and go back and see if you get the same dopamine hit from that, if it still sparks joy, and it's within the budget, you can purchase it, but if it's been less than 24 hours, and you're in that moment, and that especially 8 to 9 p. m. Amazon. Amazon makes the majority of its money from 8 to 9 p. m. If you are in that moment of weakness, because that's what it is, you're normally tired, lonely, hungry. If you're having one of those moments and you're trying to fill one of those voids, wait 24 hours before making the purchase. Tip number four, use the envelope system. There is a massive psychological difference when you spend cash as opposed to swiping a credit card. So, if you have a habit of spending money at, say, a gas station, or at Target, or at the grocery store, you go way above and beyond, or you just have frivolous spending money, and you always say, this is my, this is my fun money for the month, and you always go over, that's when you want to carry cash. Because when the cash is gone There's no more money. You can't spend anything else. And the, there's, there have been massive psychological studies that say that you spend 15 to 18 percent more when you use a credit card because it feels like you're using somebody else's money. We've talked about this before. Practical tip number five. Set goals that excite you short term and long term financial goals can make saving more appealing than spending. I have a client that I'm working with that we are planning their honeymoon. They've been married for a couple months now, and because of their jobs, they haven't been able to take the actual time. So we're setting some short term financial goals. Financial goals for them to be able to go on this honeymoon, but we're also setting long term financial goals because they would like to buy a house. So we, we need to make sure that we are excited about the short term goals like this going to Costa Rica for their honeymoon. But we have long term goals, so we don't want to spend too much money on that short term goal. We want to make sure that we spend enough, that we enjoy it, that we're not misering. Right? I don't even think that's a word, but we're not, you know, holding our fist clenched. We want to make sure that we are enjoying. What we have and also planning for the longterm, what kind of, where, what kind of trips can we take in the future and, and make sure that your longterm financial goals are just as appealing as your short term. The last practical tip I have for you today is having an accountability partner. Find a friend or community that is going to support your financial journey and hold you accountable for your overspending and also just lift you up on those days where you're like, I just want to spend it. You know, I just want to go shopping on Amazon. I'm having a really hard time. Like, let us hold you accountable and lift you up and be just a community of like minded people. Again, I do have my community that is opening up on the 1st of October, and it is a legacy builders community where we are going to come together and. Yes, I'll do accountable help with teaching. I'm going to go deeper and deeper into some of these topics and really help you grow and develop your legacy on a deeper level where we can get together and talk to each other one on one. You know, so we can build out real life change and, and build up your legacy together. So you don't have to do things alone. Consumer culture can be really overwhelming. But it can also be overcome if you have the right mindset and conscious spending habits. I gave you six practical steps after working on some mindset changes So whether it's unsubscribing from marketing emails or adopting a 30 day rule before big purchases take a small step today I encourage you to Identify one of your spinning triggers And then make a plan to avoid it. And if you need help, you know that I am here for you. You know that I want to be a light and a resource for you. And that means if you need to talk with me about what debt free living looks like or mindful money habits look like, let's have those conversations. If we need to have a conversation about going deeper into my money mastery program, we can do that. But also guys, I'm so excited about this legacy builders community and the things that I have for you inside of that community. But also that you guys are going to be able to walk alongside each other. I think that's one of the most important things. You're going to be able to hold each other accountable. You're going to be able to teach each other. You're going to be able to show your mistakes, but also your triumphs. And I think that's going to be really, really cool. So I'd love to have you join me in my Legacy Builders community. That is going to kick off on October the 8th. So anytime between October 1st and October 8th, you can join me. And I do have a coupon. For all of you listeners to get a hundred dollars off per month for every month that you are a part of the legacy builders community. So, if that's interesting to you, and you want to join us, go ahead and send me a message, Laura at accelerate your legacy dot com, where you can Instagram DM me. I am at accelerate your legacy. I am looking forward to chatting with you guys, learning more with you guys, and hopefully leaning into this community where we can shift our mindset. And start building the legacy. That's it for this week, Accelerators. Go out and make a difference. Thank you for investing your time with us today on the Accelerate Your Legacy podcast. Remember, your legacy isn't just measured in dollars and cents, but in the tools, habits, mindset, and reputation you leave behind. Don't just listen to the show, but take action on what you've learned. Share this wisdom with a friend who can benefit and help us spread the word by rating and reviewing the podcast. For questions or encouragement, reach out to me on Instagram at Accelerate Your Legacy or explore the resources listed in the show notes. I will be back with you next week. Until then, build your legacy with intention.