The hardest part of saving is saying “No” to the things you want. The question is, how do you know you want it? Company advertisements.
They are everywhere, even in places you may not realize. Advertisements sneak into your psyche, play on your emotions, change your preferences, and create your wants. It’s called Consumer Manipulation.
If you don’t see, hear, or taste those samples then how do you know they exist?
The advertising and marketing industries are big business for a reason, it works. They get you in that store, on those websites, and buying things you don’t need.
Those pesky little advertisements are like houseflies swarming around your wallet.
It’s time to take off your rose-colored glasses and put on some advertising blinders. Don’t look, don’t listen, and make an effort to not get sucked into the hype. This won’t be easy, but it can be done with the tips below!
Advertisement Blinders:
- Stay away from the shopping mall – Window shopping is not in your best interest. Looking leads to wanting and buying.
- Immediately toss those mailed store circulars into the recycle bin – The top 3 influential local circulars come from newspaper inserts, circulars near the checkout counter, and circulars delivered to your door.
- Mute the television commercials – Based on a survey from 2016, TV ads are extremely influential and will drive you to the stores.
- Put down the magazines filled with print ads and perfume samples – Unless you’re making a vision board!
- Don’t sign up with the retailer mailing list – 75% of households use websites and store emails for product information and sales coupons. The store apps are getting you in there.
- Stay off social media – Digital channels are exploding in growth. Gen Xer’s are the fastest to adopt digital ads since they spend more time with social media. Millennials and Baby Boomers are quickly following.
At the very least, you should be aware of outside influences and how they mold your decision making.
Which advertising channels do you feel influences you the most?
How do you handle those emotions that make you want to buy something?
