Endless Paradigm

The concept of spending money is a foreign thing to me, most of the time whenever I use money I try to find the most efficient way to spend it.

Anyway, I can't really understand the whole consumerism holiday going on right now, I went around to local tech stores (I was thinking about buying an sd card for my phone for reasons that are obvious), lo and behold I found a bunch of stuff sold out on the weekly sale.

My question was, why? I look at prices quite often and I did not see anything to get excited about and yet, people are buying spoon. I mean, the "sale" prices have been like that for months and for SOME REASON it's the time to buy spoon? Does anyone know where their money goes? I always feel like people are being treated like sheep with all this consumerist programming, *shudder* the thought of some guy analyzing me like some rat is a rather bothersome thought.

Same thing with my current laptop (from which I'm writing from atm), I usually see a lot of people in my university with expensive donkey macbooks for what reason? Well the exact same reason I'm using this sucker, writing a blog post or doing some remedial programming/web browsing.

Well why am I so special? That's because my laptop cost me 300$ and not my arm.

Where is all the resource management? The expectations of a bad day? Do people think about optimizing their time and effort so that they get the most out of it? Are people just buying things because they can? Or because someone told them to? Doesn't this bother anyone? I dunno, maybe I'm just as crazy as I always have been.

VIDEO GAMES ARE GOOD USE OF MONEY!

/rant

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Oh yeah, speaking of money and such, I was able to land a job as a co-op software developer. I'm not going to go too much into the details of the job, but I'm totally excited to actually be able to make my own money. Ok well that and the fact that there's a lot of spoon that goes into commercial products than I thought, I've already found out about 20+ frameworks that businesses use to power their products. All in all I hope I don't get my spoon slapped and I learn a lot from the experience, finally being able to pay for my own food and housing for once.

I'm sure there are people who just go out buying looking for specials and decide they need a memory card, so just pick one up along the way.
Or you could reason that it's unlikely that stuff on Black Friday will be more expensive than it is otherwise - useful if you can't be bothered following prices.

Consumerism is a big part of Western culture and economies - most people spend the large majority of their expendable income on consumption goods (as opposed to savings).
Do people know where their money is going?  Some yes, some no - probably explains why one of the most common financial advice (for those struggling, obviously) is budgeting.  I suppose devices like credit cards, lay-by loan schemes etc encourage this more.

On the other hand, money is there to provide you utility.  People will, thus, have different perceptions of what things are worth and be willing to spend different amounts on things.
Being an unemployed student, chances are your expendable income is close to 0, so you'll naturally be more conservative.  But if you're working and earning a decent income, it may make sense to splash out somewhat more extravagantly.

Personally, I'm rather difficult to impress and have a somewhat conservative personality, so I don't really feel the need to buy much.

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]The expectations of a bad day?

In a relatively stable environment, not much.  In a less certain environment, one may be more willing to save.

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]Do people think about optimizing their time and effort so that they get the most out of it?

A bit of a different question, but if I'm understanding you, it's usually difficult to do.

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]Are people just buying things because they can? Or because someone told them to?

I don't think you can sum up all the reasons people buy things in such a simple statement, but I'd say those are certainly components.
I'd say people generally buy things because they ultimately provide (or hope to provide) utility in some form.

Congrats on the job!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Congrats on the job ^ ^.

"A bargain is shit you don't need, at a price you can't refuse"

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]Same thing with my current laptop (from which I'm writing from atm), I usually see a lot of people in my university with expensive donkey macbooks for what reason? Well the exact same reason I'm using this sucker, writing a blog post or doing some remedial programming/web browsing.

They just bought 'em to look cool. I'd rather have a poo poo laptop with Linux than a swanky macbooks.

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]That's because my laptop cost me 300$ and not my arm.

Survival of the fittest richest is what I would say of Black Friday

Tetris999 Wrote: [ -> ]Are people just buying things because they can? Or because someone told them to?

It's mostly to do with the "I want this, I want that" behaviour people have. I don't personally find it awesome to have the latest phone or video game console but if everyone else in the world seems to think so, well...

and...

ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote: [ -> ]Congrats on the job!

Good thing wee don't have this Black Friday concept in our country. But how I wish wee haz it though since the goods I'm aiming for is at a very good price. Vita at $199? I'm sold (if I do have the money and the Black Friday).

TatsuyaXD Wrote: [ -> ]Vita at $199? I'm sold (if I do have the money and the Black Friday).

Was at $180 on Amazon (and that included a game + 4GB card): http://camelcamelcamel.com/Assassins-Cre...B002I0JZOC

Some of the ads I see on TV are just gross. This 'spend your money on something you don't need' thing has gotten way out of hand.

You still watch TV?

ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote: [ -> ]

TatsuyaXD Wrote: [ -> ]Vita at $199? I'm sold (if I do have the money and the Black Friday).

Was at $180 on Amazon (and that included a game + 4GB card): http://camelcamelcamel.com/Assassins-Cre...B002I0JZOC

Fudge, if only I'm not that broke now. -sigh-