Economic Wisdom to Apply in Your Twenties

Chapter 33

Chapter 4 Section 5 STOP!Stop snapping up things you don't need
In 2006, the Hong Kong film "Shopaholic" won good box office results in Hong Kong and the mainland. The "Shopaholic" played by Cecilia Cheung and others in the film has formed a sick consumer psychology because of the difficulty in controlling the crazy shopping desire. Seek help from a psychiatrist.

Movies and TV shows are overly exaggerated due to dramatic needs, but in fact, the young people around us, even ourselves, inevitably have the mentality of "shopaholics" when shopping: I don't want to buy anything at first, but as long as I go to the store or supermarket After shopping, I unconsciously returned with a full load. After I bought it, I realized that it was some unnecessary things. I could only add new products to the already piled up grocery pile.This condition is especially common among young people in their twenties.

Maybe you will also wonder yourself, why are you always willing to pay for things you don’t need at all?
To explain this problem, economists will introduce you to an economic term: "irrational consumption." The so-called irrational consumption refers to a kind of consumption psychology of consumers. Shopping behavior such as comfort.Just like the heroine played by Cecilia Cheung in "Shopaholic", she goes shopping crazy for the fun and security of shopping, but does not consider whether these things are useful.Therefore, consumers will pay for things they don't need, and a large part of the reason is that irrational consumption is at work.

The existence of irrational consumption consumption is determined by people's natural sensibility.Everyone has emotions and mood swings. You may take shopping as a way to vent because of a bad mood for a while; you may also buy something that looks good out of curiosity for a while; When you see a discounted product, you buy it "simply"; you may also buy some luxury goods not for the utility of the product, but to show off your wealth, status or comparison.

Young people are passionate and impulsive. Therefore, irrational consumption makes hot-headed young people spend a lot of meaningless money.Although I didn't realize it at the time of consumption, such consumption behavior is not in line with my original intention and fundamental interests.Irrational consumption will eventually lead social wealth to useless or exaggerated utility, or even harmful lifestyles, making people unable to pursue the life resources they really need.When consumers have a bunch of useless or inefficient things, it also causes idle and waste of social resources.

In fact, many shopping malls are guiding business strategies by studying consumer psychology and behavior.These business strategies range from the distribution of supermarket locations, the style of operation, and the target consumer groups that the brand faces, to the colors in the supermarket, the music played, and the placement of shelves.As a consumer, after understanding the strategies commonly used by some merchants, you can take the initiative in consumption and avoid waste.

Before going to the supermarket, it is best to make a shopping list and shop strictly according to the items listed on the list, so that you can control your impulse.In addition, when buying discounted goods, both discounts and practicality should be considered.Some products are discounted, some of which are approaching the expiration date, but some of them are pure promotions.For snacks such as biscuits and candies, if your family likes them, you can take advantage of special offers to buy more packs, but remember to check the expiration date.

Shopping is a life enjoyment.It can not only meet our daily needs, but also bring us a pleasant leisure experience.However, in the face of such a vast array of commodities, driven by the ever-increasing desire to consume, we often feel at a loss, and even fall into the confusion of wanting to buy everything.If you are in your twenties, please be more rational when shopping!
Wisdom sketch: ask yourself 5W before consumption
1. What (what to buy).Know what you want to buy, determine whether it is really necessary,

2. Why (why should you buy it).Consumption is like a trilogy: the first is daily necessities, such as food and clothing; the second is consumption for survival, such as rent, utilities, etc.; the third is consumption for academic career development and fashion, such as investment in education, Cultural and entertainment consumption, etc.Specific expenditures must be prioritized.

3.When (what time to buy).If you make good use of the time difference when shopping, the prices are often cheap and there are many varieties during the big sale during the season, the Golden Week shopping festival, and off-season shopping.

4.Where (where to buy).Native products are purchased in the place of origin, and imported goods are purchased in coastal areas. Even if they are in different businesses in the same place, it is "not a disadvantage to shop around".

5.Who (who will buy it).Women tend to be smarter than men when it comes to buying food, clothing, and bedding, while men are more expert than women when it comes to buying consumer durables such as home appliances, furniture, and digital products.

(End of this chapter)