If You Don’t Need It… Don’t Buy It

Artist Unknown. Made in 1942. If you don’t need it…. don’t buy it.

With all the struggles and tribulations people went through during the Great Depression and now with the current recession, it is good to bear in mind the difference between what we need and what we want. Though this might seem easy to identify, sometimes the lines are rather hazy. Be mindful of powerful advertising. A lot of money and strong semiotics have been utilized to make sure you believe you need a certain product. So maybe a few suggestions:

1) If it’s not broken, and works well, leave it alone. You don’t need the newest iPod, iPhone, smartphone, Mac, Windows, Blu-ray player, or flat-screen TV. If you have these things, and they work, then why do you need another? At the moment, some credit cards are charging interest rates of up to 32 percent. For every dollar you spend, you will pay a whooping 32 cents.

2) Clothes, Beauty, and Glam: Yes, we all love a bit of style and, boy oh boy, don’t the retail stores know it. Fashion trends change every few months. How to keep up? Well, quite frankly don’t. Firstly, we live in a post-modern society. So everything goes all the time. There is no fixed attire. Secondly, it is time to get creative. Never underestimate the power of accessories. Dress up an outfit, dress down an outfit. Mix and match your clothes. Another fact: lipstick sales rose during the Great Depression because Lipstick was cheap and could make a look.

3) Gyms, Diets, and Fitness: Gyms are expensive. Unless you go regularly and stick to the different machines and programs, you are losing money every month. Last time I checked, taking a walk was free. Maybe join a walking group? Maybe pal up with a friend and walk every evening.  Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and South Beach all coast money and, most of the time, never last. Try a free online source like sparkpeople.com. Does the same as Weight Watchers, but it’s free. Learn to cook. Yes I’m saying it. We have lost all home economics. Cooking doesn’t need to be expensive and you might even get great enjoyment out of it. You don’t need to take classes. Take out cook-books from your local library. YouTube a recipe. Experiment. It will save you money, it will save your health, and it might actually help your waist line.

Deirdre Powell

Deirdre Powell, from a very early age thirst for the written word. Her first publication was a prose featured in Lanigan School book at the mere age of seven. Her parents moved to Co. Claire Ireland when she was ten, giving her opportunity to embrace her Irish culture.

While there, she engulfed herself learning Yeats, Wilde, Beckett, Joyce, McCourt and Mythology from ancient Ireland. Whilst in Ireland she attended college for film and television production and then studied in London in 1999 before moving back to the United States to further her studies in Creative Writing, Journalism and Photography earning certificates and credits towards her Masters Degree.

Deirdre is Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Undergroundwriter, a diverse cultural webzine promoting writers, photographers and artists worldwide. Deirdre has articles, poetry and short stories featured in various publications. When Deirdre is not writing, she is an enthusiastic amateur photographer. Some of her photographs appeared in local Florida newspapers. Coming from an Artisan lineage Deirdre heartily believes that the arts change the polarity of thought and thus she is always supporting the local arts.