America's Dopamine-Fueled Shopping Addiction

Consumerism in the U.S. has reached an all-time high. In 2017, we spent $240 billion on goods such as jewelry, watches, luggage, books, and phones-twice as much as in 2002, even though our population grew by only 13 percent during that time. This is not to mention the 81 pounds of clothes and textiles that each American throws away annually, or the 26 million tons of plastics we collectively dispose of each year.
In a new animated video, writer Alana Semuels describes why shopping is so addictive and emphasizes the urgency in finding an encompassing solution to the problem of wasteful consumerism.
For more on zero waste households:
Zero Waste Home - / zerowastehome
Trash is for Tossers - / @trashisfortossers
For more on capsule wardrobes:
Justine Leconte - / @justineleconte
For more on doing a year of no shopping:
Cait Flanders on Break the Twitch - • Letting Go Intentional...
For more on minimalism:
Matt D'avella - / blackboxfilmcompany
Janell Kristina - / simplecentral
A Small Wardrobe - / asmallwardrobe
For more on sustainable shopping / thrifting:
Kristen Leo - / kristenleotsakou
Bestdressed - / @bestdressed
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[@TheAtlantic]

Sales are booming, but malls are dying. What happened? Watch "The Death and Afterlife of the Mall:" kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZnJoH2ta7CfrqM&

[@henrystudios5624]

3:45 a bird dies cuz the trash

[@henrystudios5624]

f in the chat pls

[@henrystudios5624]

a minute of silence

[@henrystudios5624]

ok bye

[@uk7769]

@@gerbilkill Oh man I'm sorry. You need a healthy dose of Tom Leykis. Watch/listen to their videos. WARNING: you will NOT like what he has to say. But a better future awaits for you the moment you decide to take action. Start becoming debt free right now and never look back. Debt free feels AMAZING. A growing savings pile of cash feels even better. If I can do it after 40 years of debt, you can too. Cheers to your new life!

[@swikfors]

Nobody knows this better than UPS drivers. They know where every shopper / hoarder on their route lives.

[@marthar4370]

oh wow I never thought of that, yeah I bet they do

[@canyounot313]

Shane Wikfors You sound like you speak from experience lol

[@MalteseKat]

So...does that make him her an authorized reporter?

[@swikfors]

A few years ago, I was a seasonal driver’s helper to a UPS driver. You learn some interesting things from those guys. They know where all the hoarder houses are.

[@goober7535]

@@swikfors who cares? its what they're paid to do. that's kinda like a doctor complaining they know who their sick patients are. im more interested in the waste issues... how much extra gas is burned sending FedEx & other private delivery companies to houses? how much extra plastic is used in shipping vs retail? how will amazon affect the us workforce? in most urban, suburban & rural areas a USPS truck will stop at your residence either way...a worker doing what USPS workers have done since it began doesn't bother me, and theres no reason it should.

[@wustachemax]

Great but let's talk about the real reason why this is happening. Cheap-as-hell fast fashion outlets.

[@ellalarkin1016]

wustachemax; Yes, with the clothes often produced in overseas sweatshops which pay their workers extremely low wages, overwork them and often use child labor.

[@gardendormouse6479]

You're right about that. Much of women's clothing is now almost disposable, like paper towels.

[@taniagri8358]

Everyone is trying to keep up

[@katrinetroelsen]

no thats not the reason. the REASON is capitalism, what u are refering to is the symptom so to speak or the image of capitalism (the reason) :-) Braudel and Wallerstein have some interesting theories on the way rich parts of the world use the other parts to this end.

[@granitemoss1451]

…or because people refuse to utilize self-control and common sense. If the population stopped shopping at such places, they would cease to exist.

[@soniao2034]

I think the core issue is that people look at shopping as an activity.. like going to the amusement park or going to the movies.. when I was younger and my fiends would ask me if I want to going shopping, I’d be like “I don’t have anything to buy”, then I realized, they went to the mall hopping to FIND something to buy. As a person who grew up lower income, that was mind boggling to me.

[@genxx2724]

I have an ex-friend who was broke. We walk around town and she’d want to go into stores and browse around. When she saw something she thought was “neat,” she’d buy it. I told he4bi was sav8ng for retirement and she scoffed and trivialized my efforts, saying should “meet a guy.”. She filed bankruptcy. I have no respect for that.

[@jf2176]

@@genxx2724 sex and the city syndrome.

[@magesalmanac6424]

That is an excellent point. And now with so many people at home shopping is almost seen as a hobby now. Scary thought!

[@nm9688]

Oh..I just wander around to stare at things

[@helenarichard]

Whenever I was sad at university i would go makeup shopping to pick me up. Whenever I did something good like pass a difficult paper or exam... I would also shop. I wasted so much money between the age of 24 and 28. You earn money but have no idea how to save. And you constantly have these wish lists that you think you need to fulfill. Then you realize how much stuff sucks. I threw most of my stuff away or sold it.

[@cartograp]

This is why I like to do "fake shopping" online. I look at products, decide which ones I want to buy, enjoy them for a bit, and then eventually just exit out of the website instead of buying. It's fun, saves money, and keeps my home from filling up with stuff I definitely don't need.

[@josiesteed7573]

online window shopping yaaas

[@elllie3630]

omg same I am the same I select everything put it in my basket like I am buying it and then just leave

[@laurab9518]

Thousands of bling items on Etsy I favorite and buy only a few times a year

[@curiouspenguin6887]

👍

[@mateeah]

@@elllie3630 and websites use this to promote scarcity mindset: "3 people have this in their cart" 😂

[@tehstormie]

"A year of no shopping" is known as "life" for an increasinng percentage of us.

[@firemario876]

Not buying unless it's absolutely necessary has been my life since I tend to save up for "wasteful" non-permanent things like food and travel instead. "Life" is gonna be mainstream when the economy comes to a halt because the world is forced to deal with mass habitat destruction and resource shortage due to climate change. Not just me but almost no one will have any money for good food and travel then.

[@humicroav215]

@@firemario876 look at the bright side: at least Florida will be gone.

[@aubreyalvarez7396]

But Florida has Disney World....

[@dawnpren2559]

Yes. This years tax refund is going to my teeth. The leftover (depending how much) will go to groceries and my daughter's extra expenses that happen as a senior in high school

[@jnation83]

I can't relate much to this video, all of my money goes to rent and survival. Almost all of the clothes I own are 10+ years old and I have no choice but to keep wearing them. The act of buying clothes that I will never wear is a foreign concept to me and shopping for clothes is almost a faded memory.

[@elsajohnson6663]

How depressing!!! I heard a great saying once, you spend the first half of your life accumulating stuff and the second half getting rid of it. Man is that ever true.

[@Liz-sc3np]

Elsa Johnson Uggh I’m going to try and just accumulate money

[@utub1473]

@Chloe Price Shit guess I'm only living 22 years LOL

[@utub1473]

Chloe Price I wouldn’t say living a waste free life ha. But I’m totally a fan of decluttering, buying things that will last me as long as possible, and choosing not to spend money on plastic items that will quickly go to waste

[@arielgoldfarb4118]

You forgot to mention the Time you have to work to Pay for the stuff

[@camouflage0731]

-George Carlin

[@dw309]

I must be abnormal. I never get a dopamine hit when I spend money, I have a heart attack.

[@the80386]

We suffer from the same 'disease' then.

[@TheElectrizantee]

Same, i hate spending money

[@djde4th877]

maybe you need more money lol gets your pockets right!

[@youraveragejdmenthusiast430]

Sometimes it’s good to buy something for yourself but just not for status

[@fuchsia02]

Right I hate spending money cause I’m broke

[@cprivera1]

I used to be very addicted to shopping. It was so bad we were living paycheck to paycheck. It was hurting my family. I realized its not everything is about materialism. Its about spending time with your family & making moments

[@aliciaherrle]

Totally agree with you.

[@lucialuciferion6720]

They never mention how the so called 'elites', the 1%, use up more than 50% of the world resources. Cut them out , you cut out half the worlds resources from being used/wasted , win-win

[@WindTreeStudios]

I do professional property clean outs for a living and the amount of waste I've seen and handled is shocking. People often times just abandon mountains of items - residentially and commercially - and just move on. I've come to see this orgy of material acquisition as a form of collective insanity driven largely by advertising and irresponsible manufacturing and distribution practices.

[@dottieland7061]

Wow so interesting, thanks for the insight.

[@julijakeit]

when one things about who made cheap items, what materials were used and how the workers suffer one does no longer buy such items but... sadly the majority is keeping themselves blind to have an excuse to waste money. it's an addiction, mental disorder.

[@Janna_Ash]

I can only imagine. I am currently in the process of trying to de clutter and organize, and I can totally understand how people get to the point of abandoning their things. I don’t necessarily have a ton of things, but even dealing with what I have can feel very overwhelming. I know when I was a bit younger I was all about “retail therapy” - it felt good to buy things. But after having a family and bills, it really brings to light how wasteful it is. So I’m trying to still improve my ways lol.

[@interestingfacts1376]

Americans are known for being massive hoarders.

[@jazminedean7679]

Douglas J. O'Brien I hate being so guilty!

[@junotisno15]

Time for *m a r i e k o n d o* to step in.

[@ThePsychicCellPhones]

"I'm throwing away capitalism!! It doesn't sPaRK jOy with me!!1!"

[@natetrajano1024]

This does not spark joy

[@georgiannmaloney6594]

Time for the gentle art of death cleaning.❤️🧡💚

[@IllinoisTrafficAttorney]

Marie kondo is like the Mister Rogers of cleaning and organization

[@sarah3796]

Yes come through

[@vittoriacolona]

Shopping is a psychological issue. We buy products to fill the emptiness. And like the person said, getting a package in the mail, is like getting a Christmas present each day. So in order for me to be careful on my spending and to fill the craving. I just buy a used book every two weeks or so.

[@harrisonwintergreen1147]

Almost everyone I know says "I can't afford to save for retirement" while simultaneously spending obscene amounts of cash on unnecessary disposable crap and/or eating out.

[@renenetatm8222]

@Elizabeth Harper Not everyone can save an adequate amount, but saving a small amount is better than not saving at all. Just my personal opinion.

[@debbieframpton3857]

I have a friend who believes in spend spend spend claims she could never afford to save for retirement her home was given to her by her parents her mother helped her pay car payments we were both making about the same income I was able to pay off a mortgage and a car payment while saving money in a Roth IRA and 401k we are both now 66 she spends twice what I do every month she eats every meal out and still shop shop shops. I have had to loan her money to get a car battery couple times she didn't have enough saved to pay real estate taxes she tells people I never had enough income to save I don't know how Debbie did it.

[@sophiagonzales8974]

Well my parents used to work in a bank so we don't hire a financial advisor for a reason but they said its preferable to save 20% of your money and stuff like that. I even asked my mom for a second savings account so that I could deposit money there to spend.

[@unicorntomboy9736]

I love eating out at a quaint pub. It's more sustainable and creates far less waste compared to buying stuff online that you might not ever need or use

[@MrCijuciju]

best advice?invest in something that increases its value over time...

[@HeatherSierraVEVO]

Questions to ask yourself: Will I use this on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Do I already have something similar? Didn’t I survive my whole life without this one thing I suddenly “need”?

[@gem5569]

Also, does this item add value to my life?

[@Mountshasta]

I feel so ashamed... I used to practice with those questions some time ago... I don't know what has happened to me lately, I have developed an addiction to shopping.... I need to go back to what I was... :(

[@aadnyc01]

Heather Donigan Yepp, this helps when you ask these questions. I’m a former shopping addict and I stop myself before making a frivolous purchase by asking myself these questions.

[@alyssam8977]

“Will this clothing item last me a long time?”

[@marcussoleil3733]

I'll do you one better, hardwire your brain to get a hit by saving cash and investing it.

[@sandicampbell3252]

Appliances break after 3 years? I remember when a refrigerator lasted 30 years! I have one in my shed!

[@gtw4546]

Likewise. The refrigerator, stove/oven, and dishwasher in my kitchen are all over 25 years old and my washer and dryer are over 20.

[@eatpigsnot]

watch BBC special The Men Who Made Us Spend and research "planned obsolescence"

[@1Mhoram9]

We bought an LG stainless refrigerator last November and the main shelf now has a split in it along the front edge and the slider for the humidity setting for one drawer broke off completely. A replacement shelf is $89 and they are out of stock.

[@campkira]

One of my refrigerator just go.

[@IsleNaK]

Some printers have a build-in chip that makes the printer stop working after 5k prints. A Russian wrote a program to reset the chip and then the printer worked again. Yep, planned obsolescence is a thing

[@michellemenko937]

"Consumers want cheaper goods" is an interesting take, Atlantic. Perhaps the large corporations that supply these goods want to increase their profits and do so by making goods cheaper and under paying factory workers in other countries. Consumers should be aware of their shopping habits, but let's not pretend like the companies and corporations selling these goods are not at fault.

[@CatWearingHeadphones]

In fact those companies are mainly at fault

[@colechapman6976]

Cheaper goods just mean more things will break apart. Companies won't make high-quality stuff anymore. The more things break, the more the consumer has to spend to replace those broken items. The companies won't make higher-quality goods at a lower price. All this means then is that the environment further suffers from all this cheap crap that will break much sooner than if it had been made at a higher quality. Fridges used to last for a long time. But these new smart fridges are very unreliable and break often. Don't even get me started on clothing nowadays. All cheap crap that'll end up in a landfill. Trust me, buy less, buy used, but buy good quality. That would be a good way to exist as a consumer and you'll probably save yourself a lot of headaches

[@michellemenko937]

@@colechapman6976 totally agree

[@Solidaritybb]

Thank you! So tired of the onus being all on the consumer and not the billion dollar corporations who are really driving this phenomenon by exploiting our innate drive for novelty and by not creating products that last. All they care about is unlimited growth, which is dangerous and unreasonable.

[@lucialuciferion6720]

They never mention how the so called 'elites', the 1%, use up more than 50% of the world resources. Cut them out , you cut out half the worlds resources from being used/wasted , win-win

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

I agree with other comments already posted here, sadly people see shopping as an activity these days. Something that I've noticed in the last few years or so (and I think social media is to blame for this) is that so many people don't really seem to have any hobbies or interests anymore, so in turn, they see shopping as recreation. Having hobbies you enjoy to fill up your free time with can be a huge deterrent when it comes to developing addictions, and shopping just like any other addiction, should be taken seriously.

[@diana_prince_1]

I agree with this. The problem is sometimes having hobbies also fuel the shopping addiction. For example, for a time I was heavily into many hobbies, including baking, home decorating, party planning, crocheting, arts & crafts, and painting. I enjoyed these hobbies very much but they also gave me a reason to keep shopping to grow in and expand upon my hobby.

[@justineleconte]

Since a clip from my "capsule wardrobe" video appears in here, let me add one piece of info: it is 30-40 pieces of clothing per season (knowing that some pieces can be used in all seasons). Outerwear, accessories and underwear don't count towards the goal of 40 max. Having a capsule wardrobe helps curate and select what actually makes it into your closet.

[@altitudeiseverything3163]

Justine Leconte officiel - Subbie here... Your channel is one of my favorites! Your style is timeless, yet current; you are down-to-earth and very likable; your advice is is applicable to many style types and ages; and I love that you don’t “assault” your viewers with loud music, or choppy camera work. There’s a happy medium between hardcore minimalism and over-consumption, and you hit that mark perfectly. Thank you for providing content that helps us realize that we can still have fun with clothing, without over-consuming!

[@emilyspecter9532]

I didn't realize how great a capsule wardrobe is until I was pregnant. I had to buy mostly new clothes and had very few items. It was so much easier to get dressed knowing I only had a hand full of things to pick from and it was much less stressful.

[@samusugiru]

Only in America is a 30-40 piece wardrobe considered "capsule!"

[@melikesleepy]

Bwahahahahaha, 30 to 40 pieces of clothing a season! That's 160 pieces of clothing a year! I have probably 30 pieces of clothing including shoes and socks. I might buy one or two t-shirts a year if that and I've got way too much now!

[@valeniricibar6644]

Love your channel, Justine! I started capsules two years ago thanks to you 😊

[@LittleKumari]

Minimalism has never looked so good

[@SuperNovaJinckUFO]

People say I'm a minimalist. I'm actually just a cheapskate

[@xiiioet3556]

hahahah

[@tomsanchez7556]

Lmao i truly feel like everyone needs minimalism under capitalism.

[@ramenomirice2767]

I know people who are cheap on others and spend like kings for themselves

[@googleuser868]

Being cheap allows an early retirement and you pay a lot less taxes

[@Larry]

Humans didn't abandon Earth for another planet in Wall*E, they lived on spaceships until it was ready to return :S

[@waltersobchak7275]

You here??

[@vIBEDoUT-Channel]

Yeah but the situation they showed was possible... But it too to make it habitable again ... Doesn't seem to be

[@xiiioet3556]

smh... get the facts right @video

[@roadbone1941]

I understand your concern and with respect (since you've given us all endless hours of entertainment): This particular video is for neural typicals only. They don't care about, or even remember the plot of wallE. It was just something they consumed along time ago then the next thing cute marketable thing came out. Right now its the baby yoda blankets and stuff.

[@FeyPax]

Right. I hate to say it but people love to use wall-e as a gotcha point but the fact is that the humans were LIED to and told they would return once the planet was clean. Corporations and greed kept them on that ship, not from choice.

[@heathercameron1485]

The problem with textile recycling is that you can't keep the recycle loop on going indefinitely. It's not like glass that can be broken down and remade over and over again. When you break down the fibers of the clothing it loses a lot of it's strength and quality and you end up with sub-par clothing. It's also extremely difficult to recycle mixed fabrics. Often, when clothing is recycled it's broken down into a pulp called shoddy fabric and it's then used for blankets and furniture stuffing as that's what it's only good for. We have such a huge problem because there is no much waste out there from fast fashion that's already poor quality. Thrift stores/ charity shops are overwhelmed with crap that is too low quality to sell. And a lot of it gets sold onto third world countries which hurts their local economy by putting their own textile industries out of business. And that's not even going into the environmental impact both with manufacturing and disposal. Ultimately we need to change consumer habits. We need to buy less stuff in the first place. I think this is the hardest task because how do you make customers want less?

[@avocadoPNK]

This exact problem you've hit on was covered on a Canadian show called Marketplace by CBC. This is a perfect summary of that episode that also talks about what happens to the clothes people bring to H&M for that $5 coupon for used stuff. I think they have this episode on KZbin and I encourage people to go watch it. Type "cbc marketplace clothes", it's the first result, 22min long.

[@BD-qc8zz]

the problem is not with the consumers but with the system CAPITALISM

[@campkira]

Recycling still consume resource sometime more that make new one. While just repurpose would be better.

[@greatcrispy1]

This. Textiles can't just be ground up and made into new fabric. It's terrible how ignorant most consumers are about the processes required to actually make cloth, let alone wearable clothing.

[@Valfrex]

Omg thank you for talking about textiles, they have a major impact! There’s manufactured fibers and natural fibers and I could go into a whole novel but there’s benefits and cons of both. But it’s good to know only 1% of fossil fuels are being used in the fibers that make the fabrics while manufacturing and production is a whole other issue

[@Quimper111]

I get a dopamine hit from NOT buying excessive or unnecessary things.

[@morgankappes6282]

Same

[@xiiioet3556]

lol you're so special. but yeah it's not good to buy crap.

[@yeshalloween]

I do too! I get a rush from getting rid of stuff and saying no to crap

[@D19950701]

I wish... i feel so good buying something, it is emotional and I wish i feel bad about it. I feel guilty afterwards sometimes but not when doing something like not buying or something. Baby steps I guess, it must be a mental switch

[@elisscaliving4776]

Lieeee

[@reigee2869]

Sometimes I feel like crap about myself for not having a big, beautiful wardrobe and a drawer full of makeup. Family and friends even make fun of me for "acting/looking poor" because I've had roughly the same wardrobe for 3 years and don't throw anything out until it's almost falling apart... then I remember the toxic industries of fast fashion and rampant consumerism for nothing other than perceived social status and I get over it.

[@camilleb.6561]

I found it peculiar that the report chose to present even data from so-called evolutionary psychology, but ignored deeper economic issues such as marketing, advertising, whats moves individual choices in capitalism, etc.

[@lavisworld5434]

I hate hearing the sentence “consumer want cheaper clothes/stuff”. It’s not like that, consumers buy cheaper stuff because they keep having their buying power diminished. We won’t be in this situation if there still was a powerful and conscious middle class. But nowadays it seems that the social scissor is growing wider and wider.

[@GenesisMuseum]

by and large consumers only buy the cheapest items. not when it comes to certain things like maybe phones or cars...maybe there are some things where cost is not the only factor. but for most things like airline tickets, clothes, and food....most people buy the cheapest version they can find and the supply chain responds accordingly.

[@GenesisMuseum]

@Skeptics we love you anyway It's a chicken/egg problem. If manufacturers thought we would pay more for higher quality, they would provide it. You can't blame one without the other. People by and large don't want low tech/cheap phones or cars, so by and large manufacturers don't make them.

[@SuperNovaJinckUFO]

The middle class is growing, and with credit cards and other easy "fast cash" systems, the buying power of the middle class is ever increasing. So yes, it is the fault of the consumer

[@rafaelaw8]

The opinion about clothing changed from “buy and use for 10 years” to “buy because it’s cute and use for 2 weeks”. It’s not just the consumers’ fault, it’s the marketing as well. But it’s also our fault because we become more and more aware of the problem it creates yet many people choose to ignore it. That’s where our fault is.

[@birdiewolf3497]

@@GenesisMuseum It's not a chicken and egg problem. Corporations created this problem. The idea that manufactures would provide higher quality clothes if they thought we would pay more is false. Higher quality clothes means less clothes I would need to buy. I buy shoes that cost $500 but lasts 10 years vs shoes that cost $30 dollars and only last 6 months, they make more selling the cheaper shoe just off sales alone. And I use the shoe example because I fell victim to this cycle when I worked at a chemical plant. Kept buying cheap shoes that would dissolve in weeks. Finally invested in expensive pair of shoes and they were still good until I quit that job several months later. Also because the price of the clothes is so cheap you buy more. You aren't gonna buy 5 pairs of jeans if it costs you $250+ a pair. And you aren't going to throw those jeans away at the first sign of wear. It costs you $250+ to purchase. So you will either repair them yourself or pay someone else $15 - $30 to repair them because repair is cheaper than buying a new pair of jeans. It would take years for the average person to buy 5 pairs of jeans. That does not provide companies with the maximum amount of profit. Meanwhile if you pay $40 dollars for a pair of jeans, you aren't going to waste time and money to repair wear on those jeans (which will start happening faster than the more higher quality pair) when it is more convenient to buy something new. Planned obsolescence is not the fault of the consumer. What is the fault of the consumer is that we never really outgrew that developmental stage where we think 3 one dollar bills is more than 1 twenty dollar bill. That's our lizard brains talking, and while we need to be more in control and aware of it, these mega corporations shouldn't be exploiting that. Most people aren't aware of the lizard brain. As the income/wealth increases the more lizard the brain becomes. Try talking to people that are in the 90th percentile of income crying about how they live in SF or NYC as if they aren't still making more than 90% of the people that live in those cities. People really believe that not being able to buy whatever you want is a sign of struggle. It's madness.

[@olivetti1381]

The movies that best predict our future: Wall•e and Idiocracy

[@ericabob1]

Owliebub Timer couldn’t agree more

[@user-xp2wf6ew4g]

No.

[@learntocrochet1]

@@user-xp2wf6ew4g ? if no, then which if any?

[@sharonroy2645]

Don't forget Soylent Green

[@CooksFSH]

I've been saying the same thing for years!! Every year I feel we are moving closer and closer to a society like that of Idiocracy

[@Gina88]

It's because we take our lives for granted. We should focus on living rather than spending.!

[@leahkristine]

Sadly, I'm very aware how guilty of this I am. It's so easy to online shop when you're bored. This is exacerbated by the convenience of online shopping coupled with accessibility to more products than generations past ever had. Not to mention, the constant need to "keep up" with what we're seeing on social media and KZbin and just how many ads we're influenced by daily while watching TV, scrolling through IG, etc. This isn't necessarily a new phenomenon though, although it has gotten worse. As an example, when my great and uncle both passed away I went through the house they had lived in for 40 years with my mom and grandma. Their basement was FULL of "as seen on TV" products, many of them still in their packaging and apparently rarely (if ever) used. My great aunt collected jewelry like I've never seen before...boxes on end of costume jewelry. Consumerism has been alive and well for quite some time.

[@sanam8819]

It's not just America, consider this a global epidemic.

[@gihankanishka]

That is true global indeed.

[@helenab9973]

Indeed, Chinese are crazy consumers, the only thing that stops them, is lack of money. But those with money, shop like there's no tomorrow.

[@Jozie88]

Well... not actually. Scandinavians generally consume much much less than Americans. Most of us feel better when we own good quality stuff that lasts and that we actually use, and generally enjoy cleaner and simpler life. Producing less waste, buying less but very high quality items, repairing and recycling is more of a norm here rather than some "lifestyle".

[@campkira]

global epidemic? third world country won't not have that problem.

[@mgabss]

@@campkira Exactly, why do Americans think they are the world?

[@youknownothing2331]

My parents grew up in GDR (East Germany) and they told me that after the reunification everyone bought a ton of shit (clothes, useless devices,...) cause they were kinda overwelmed by all these products that weren‘t available in the GDR. But after a few months they stopped this mindless consume cause they had enough. I can’t believe that people who already have everything still buy so much stuff they‘ll never need or use. Sorry for my bad english 😅

[@smithsmith9379]

Interesting, I hadn't thought about that side effect. Your English is perfect!

[@jamesedwards3923]

Lol, no you are o.k. Look up my post typos all over the place.

[@protohass]

Americans are too busy trying to feel good all the time instead of helping each other everything Is catered to them

[@jelena7440]

I went through the same thing when the civil war was over in ex Yugoslavia, spending one year in refugee camp and three others in bomb shelters, literally made all of us shopping for everything. I still catch myself hoarding for food like the war is going to star tomorrow, it's the things you just can't shake off.

[@minxili3317]

I wonder if it's cuz in America they're so overworked which causes them to not have time for family, friends, and to find lovers that they instead turn to shopping to relieve their stress.

[@jessicasantanna3284]

I almost fell off my chair when they said the amount of clothing the average american throws away every year. DEAR LORD

[@JamesBond-uz2dm]

"That's all your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you'er out getting more stuff." ----------- George Carlin

[@donnyreiss1180]

wow.

[@koobea4859]

Why is my stuff “shit” and your shit is “stuff”? He also said.

[@filereaper]

0:31 I don't know why but that clip really sickened me. Most of the examples here are KZbinrs who likely have these unboxings to boost their views and monetize off it...so they can buy more the next time around.

[@arianneriley4824]

Some return the items after the haul.

[@sofiacre2823]

Leave her alone she makes a great salary probably better than ours she has the right to buy the things she wants, and I have watched her vids she ether donates or sells or returns everything that doesn’t fit

[@avocadoPNK]

@@arianneriley4824 Even if they return them, that's not what viewers see or will remember. They see someone who was happy going shopping for obscene amounts of things, and that the obscene amount of things made them happy and feel good. The people watching end up doing the same, but as they said in the video, most people don't return things, and the cycle continues.

[@avocadoPNK]

@@sofiacre2823 Why defend someone who, even if she donates, sells or returns what DOESN'T fit, is still contributing to the problem of overspending and buying things when they aren't needed? Making a 'great salary' doesn't mean that person will have healthy or responsible behaviors. There are plenty of people with more money than sense.

[@raw_oyster]

That made me cringe hard as well

[@Looooading...]

I prefer buying all of my clothes second hand. It costs less, obviously. But it also allows me to reuse clothes and the money I spend does not go to companies that might have questionable business practices. Many thrift stores in my area donate to animal shelters or sistercare homes.

[@jessied9287]

Have you noticed that items in thrift stores can be better quality? Even expensive clothes now are not well made.

[@dustywaxhead]

@@jessied9287 the quality with clothing is all over the place tbh, even with expensive brands. I found a nice zara shirt thats 100% linen with good stitching (i was surprised) but also more upscale name brands with inferior quality. You gotta check every item and see if quality and fit wise it works for you

[@ErutaniaRose]

Yes! There are one or two things I have new, but most of my clothing was handed down to me from siblings (I am the youngest of 4), thrift shops with my friends, or hand-me-downs from parents and friends. I only buy something new if I really need it, but, usually, I just sew it up or cut it up for a more punk style. Any clothes I LOVE but do not look flattering on me, I have outgrown, or just don't wear anymore I upcycle into useful items like pillows and carpets. I haven't bought a whole new wardrobe since I was maybe at the start of high school?? Like, if you love something, wear it to death then reuse it, lol. I somehow got this mentality in a middle upper-class family. My mum sucked at cleaning, my Dad was/is a neat freak, and my friend was minimalist. I started doing it, and now my parents have too! I hope it helps.

[@Mutasis_Mutandis]

I spent tens of thousands on clothes during my working years, but now retired (early) there’s not the need nor desire. It’s fun actually to walk into a Goodwill store to see how far I can stretch $20

[@elizabethharalson7903]

@Introspective Housewife I get better clothes at thrift stores at low prices. I studied fashion merchandising and fabric and clothing construction in college. I know a great garment with this knowledge. And that plastic bottle fabric blend, I'm allergic to it. Horrible Skin reactions.

[@bestill365]

I use to shop for fun and it was ruining me in a lot of ways. So I got on a budget and stayed out of the store unless I planned ahead for what I needed. I only use cash as well. My life has changed so much since I stopped shopping for fun. I'm more organized, I don't waste time or money at the store and I cook at home 6 nights out of the week. I paid off 18,000 dollars in loans and started saving my money. I'm now seriously looking into downsizing my house. I can't believe the effect these changes have had on my happiness, I feel so free from the constant getting that used to consume my thoughts. I don't buy seasonal decorations or jewelry to mention just a few things I eliminated all together. I sewed my torn couch and got it cleaned instead of purchasing a new one. I unsubscribed from amaxon prime, Netflix and a few other subscription based products. In the end I was signed up for over $200 worth of subscriptions. I'm so happy to be free!

[@mlr4524]

Well done Holley. And you can always turn to Nature for seasonal decor.

[@franziska.bundies]

I actually hate to click the „buy now“ button. It just gives me a bad feeling. But when the thing I bought arrives I am always happy because I thought long about whether buying it or not.

[@lol-zb8to]

cant be a shopping addict if you're broke

[@TheSkete]

Credit card...

[@xiiioet3556]

@@TheSkete oh no

[@saltycrackers4460]

Yep.

[@iambored678]

I'm broke but I still find ways to waste money

[@ematique4392]

My life ever since I moved in the middle of one of the most expensive cities in the world loooool

[@goldfishcrayon]

You don't spend money if you have the mentality that you don't have any to spend 😉

[@greenkitty82]

goldfishcrayon yes a reverse psychology trick will always work 😁

[@mb3938]

Working on it. Saving for a house

[@raapyna8544]

@@greenkitty82 Or you could just be broke.

[@rilorey8663]

A more positive way to frame it is "I have money but I don't need it/that/these".

[@rmfinance1781]

Well, maybe. For me I have an unhealthy obsession with saving money. I'm one of those that tend to sometimes get too consumed with saving. Gotta live a little. I go on shopping sprees here in there (mainly at best buy). But my spider senses tingle when I think I've spent too much money. 😆

[@oswaldo9127]

My beautiful aunt is a major hoarder. When you walk into her house, you have to make 'room' to sit or to be even walk around the place. It's absolutely ridiculous the way she lives!

[@perthfanny3017]

That would give me anxiety (living that way)

[@SimplisticallyDigital]

The main reason why I stay out of "this and that" stores like Marshall's, Ross, and T.J. Maxx. I leave with a minimum of 5 items per trip. I used to go weekly, Now I might go monthly or every other month. I try to target my shopping by buying online, but that has consequences for the environment as well. I am looking at minimalism. I have an issue with impulse shopping. I admit.

[@csanadignat8360]

I never get this. Shopping to me is a chore. There's nothing pleasant about it. Getting one more item is just one more item I have to take care of and find space for. It's like a ball and chain. There's nothing more liberating than not wanting/needing anything. I put off shopping until the last possible minute.

[@ayior]

Same

[@ariel-th6fj]

Yes I feel the same way it's a chore

[@livenandlove1980]

Same. I don't like waiting for a product to come and I don't like spending money🤷🏻‍♀️

[@garyenkwong1683]

@K BM that’s my situation but opposite. I’m overwhelmed by how much junk my parents buys for the family. Like who the heck wants a 3000 dollar bag from LouisVuitton. I know I come from a really well off family and I should be grateful... but who wants so much junk?

[@garyenkwong1683]

But the better question I don’t understand is why they complain about how much junk we have, when they are the one who gives it to us.

[@barbaraconnolly9000]

We suffer from this in the UK too. I have decided to stop this. I don't need so much stuff, or clothes, or food. Since making the decision to stop shopping and start getting rid of "stuff" I feel so much better.

[@Desimere]

This is rather alienating since I never really had a chance to indulge like this. I do agree that it's time to stop, but i can't help but feel some degree of resentment because i will never know this pleasure while it's portrayed as this common thing that everyone has access to. It makes me want to say something mean. No one is ever going to congratulate me for being born into a poor family, while someone who becomes minimalist in their lifetime can be seen as admirable.

[@ameleakpaglo3100]

This is what surprised me when i first visited the US. I found the amount of consumerism absolutely mind-blowing

[@ematique4392]

Where are you from and what is the shopping culture there?

[@ameleakpaglo3100]

@@ematique4392 i'm from Togo. People here buy things only when they actually need them

[@josephinebournes8212]

@@ameleakpaglo3100 You live in a developing country so the consumption patterns are going to be drastically different from the US 🙄

[@josedubois2295]

I bought a book last year. I try to avoid buying things even though I have a pretty good job. Better to be financially secure first.

[@mitchio86]

I love videos about america. One video "americans are getting poorer", the next "americans are too wealthy" - but all videos are "panic in america" because that's what sells

[@FR33Willi]

Both of those statements can be true depending on the context. why am i replying to a 2 year old comment

[@ten_tego_teges]

Talking about priorities. Its a country where you have the God-given right to buy garden chairs are 3am and same-day delivery from another continent, but expecting paid maternity leave and affordable healthcare is considered "entitlement".

[@IITTPPEEDD]

Ha ha ha ba

[@sansiveria578]

I saw a mountain of garbage during a trip to the local tip recently to drop off some rubble and it shocked me. I vowed to not spend on unessentials only replacing toiletries or food. I don't need more clothing, adopting the Marie Kondo method and appreciating what I already have.

[@galaxydriver32]

It's depressing that this video is 4 years old yet it seems like overconsuming just keeps getting worse and worse..

[@quitlife9279]

Yeah with the arrival of companies like temu i think the future of consumerism addiction is going to be a lot more bleak.

[@bluzshadez]

Money in the bank is more important than "stuff." I've learned my lesson the hard way while I was working in the Retail Industry. Working in the warehouse opening boxes of freshly delivered merchandise, we would set aside what we want to buy before those products would even get to the Sales Floor. Shopping is addictive! It is not a hobby.

[@granitemoss1451]

Yes! Money in the bank is security and options, stuff is just...stuff.

[@bluzshadez]

@@granitemoss1451 Nobody will be able to pay for hospital bills with "stuff" if ever there is a medical emergency.

[@aliciaherrle]

Agree with you 100%

[@RueBroadway]

It truly is a mindless addiction--god knows how many times I've clicked Instagram advertisements for products. This video is a reminder that I need to do better.

[@user-dq2ym1nn9k]

I have an entire career thanks to people and their stuff. They pay me to clean their huge homes, reorganise & clean out huge walk in closets for adults and also their children, fold mountains and mountains of laundry, reorganise huge walk in pantries, linen press's, kitchen cupboards, bathrooms.....the list goes onnnnnn. Has it never dawned on them to perhaps...to own less stuff? I find it fascinating to be honest. No judgement - just different. Me...I live a very minimal, simple, peaceful life. My husband and I share 1 cupboard space for our basic clothes. Zero debt. Small home. Very content. I am investing this money I make from the people I help every single week into ETF's and am on track for a very comfortable retirement :)

[@magueysunset]

A book called 30 Days to Stop Being a Shopaholic by Harper Daniels helped me slow down and observe my intentions while shopping. I found I was shopping for my identity much of the time.

[@mimilong3817]

You should see all the good, useable things that get thrown away in apartment dumpsters. My husband and I frequently scout the dumpsters (next to, not inside them) for great finds. We've nearly furnished our entire apt with dumpster finds (FREE STUFF).

[@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel]

we are not addicted to shopping, they have made shopping addictive to keep us spending more and more. Even if you don't buy flash fashion, the higher end shops have downgrade in quality.

[@TheLamehipster]

Yhea i notice that even expensive jeans are thinner now and the quality of the stitch work is not that great

[@Me-vn3gz]

And haute couture has become increasingly more expensive

[@elinostberg3079]

I've noticed the same thing! There is way too much polyester and viscose clothes made by the brands that label themselves as high-end, and the fabric is getting thinner.

[@elgubero]

cetriya's Art n Comics Channel Nobody makes you do anything that you don’t want to do (or buy)! JUST SAY NO

[@lsamoa]

I noticed that too. Even high-end brands treat their clothes as disposable fashion. Especially shoes and handbags. Shockingly low quality. What are we even paying for then? Well, their marketing department's budget really.

[@kristaw206]

I'm not in this world anymore since caring about sustainability, plus when family members had a shopping addiction it scares you off!

[@emmabruh]

If I compare this to the European or Northern European lifestyle it’s such a astronomical difference I’ve never seen so many packages in videos until I watched videos from the US

[@Booksandstrawberries]

I agree, but you should exclude the UK. Shopping addiction is as real here as in the US.

[@karringtonhall7094]

Anyone here a minimalist?

[@IrontwistFiM]

can't really afford to be

[@karringtonhall7094]

Irontwist Why? Being a minimalist literally means you don’t buy a lot of stuff

[@leilanidru7506]

Working on it👌🏾🙌🏾☺️

[@leilanidru7506]

Irontwist u realize minimalism will save u money right? So sick of people acting like money is the real reason they can’t make significant changes in the life and in the environment. Do ur best okay? Minimalism saves u a lot of money, because it’s all about less. Get rid of all the things that don’t bring you joy or u get no use out of. Then u can sell it second hand or donate to those in need. Reuse those glass marinara and Alfredo jars. Had a blanket I didn’t use and turned in into a carpet for my dorm. Used an old backpack to shop without plastic bags. And I’m gonna start a compost bin soon. They’re are A LOT of things u can do that a re free and will keep ur money in ur pocket. Watch some videos or do a little research and u’ll be surprised. Still lol ate people trying to suggest that they can’t afford to get rid of and stop buying crap they don’t need or use.

[@agneslaufer9579]

Me since 2012.

[@kathyallzem4033]

I get clothes for free & make blankets, rugs, pot holders, crafts, curtains...but that's bc I'm retired & have time. When I worked full time I bought everything. It's cheaper to buy most items at Wal-Mart than to buy the material. I won't make anything now unless it's an upcycle.

[@stacie1595]

I'm moving to Korea in a few weeks and have to pack my entire life into suitcases. I'm actually excited for it becauae its going to give me an opportunity to minimize and consume less. I hope, once I'm there, I can commit to a life with less consumption and I can start making a wage that allows me to buy ethically.

[@josephinewinter]

the work of shopping in the past was, walking to the nearest town, then walking round every single shop looking for the thing, only not to find it, and walk home annoyed. But you'd walked twelve miles and were stick thin. Looking back, in size 26 clothes.....

[@idreessaleem4722]

I'm a minimalist and proud! It's been over 6 months since I've stopped buying new clothing (with a few exceptions including underwear and socks). I still find shopping enjoyable, but I only buy items that I know I'll use up (e.g. shampoo, soaps, supplements, deoderant) and try to buy second hand as much as possible. I spend my money on better quality, healthier food

[@chicblossom]

can that guy send me that waffle maker ? ive wanted one for a while i am dead serious

[@EC777]

chicblossom I’ll sell you mine for $15

[@selalewis9189]

Right? I bought my waffle maker nine years ago, and use it for everything.

[@biancalien4577]

@Sela Lewis What do you use it for besides making waffles?

[@Liz-sc3np]

Better with you than at a landfill

[@minhduong4446]

@@biancalien4577 making omelet, warming bread (making it more crunchier than using a microwave) sometimes, for flash-frying meat, barbecue....

[@Chill-Pill]

Lots of holier than thou commenters here, I see. Please do preach to us about how you became perfect human beings!

[@ellawatson5291]

I think that, especially now with all the social media influencers needing ideas for content, fast fashion is a huge problem. Not only are people constantly buying way too much, but it's all cheap products that were made without a care for the environment or any sense of ethics at all.

[@rougewillow]

Another way of reducing the trash is to produce things on demand. Tailored close and accesseries are rarely returned and almost never throughn away. People tresure them, bc they know its unique and that it was made for them. In order to do that, we need to develop technology that would allow to lower the costs of such production.

[@rra7490]

rougewillow Yeah problem is that it isn’t popular right now, cheap fashion is popular.

[@vishualee]

the solution is already beginning to emerge - people are buying clothes for gaining internet likes, and then returning them back to online stores.

[@happyash6048]

I appreciated a lot of things in this clip, but I think it glossed over a lot. I'm all about reducing waste, but the zero waste movement really annoys me and it truly only for the upper eschelons of society. Most people who KZbin and blog about being zero waste, it is literally their full time job. Waste is also complicated which is why systemic changes are needed for real improvement. An easy example is food packaging. While it creates a lot of packaging waste, it also prevents a lot of food waste. The answer is not for everyone to drive across town to the fru-fru grocery store so thnsey can feel good about 3 times the going rate for strawberries that don't come in a plastic clamshell. And that is also an option not available to poor people in food deserts, not to mention your $15 compostable toothbrush. Systemic change such as carbon taxes or something like that could help us find the balance and bring reduced packaging to the mainstream where it would be available to more people with dramatically greater impact. Another example that I've seen in zero waste videos is using your reusable containers at coffee places and taking your food waste to community compost centers. Most restaurants won't let you put un-sanitized containers back over the counter and most communities don't have compost centers. This is something that takes more changes than individual action in most cases. I've also seen them advocate buying dramatically over-priced consumables online so they can get them in reusable glass jars. But by the time you consider all of the shiipping, is this really a better choice even for those upper-class to whom it is available? Lastly, the zero-waste movement is so unacheivable for most people that they diminish interest in practical ways to reduce waste. And the holier-than-thou attitude makes even more people resistant to the idea. My favorite line from a zero-waste advocate was that we have all been taught and conditioned our whole life that we need toothpase, but we actually don't if we just open our mind to that possibility. I'm glad for you that you have great genetics in your teeth, but as for me, I need toothpaste. Clothing waste is a huge problem, but I am skeptical of their claim about how much can be recycled. Buying only what you need and buying second hand can make a big difference and is a much better solution. Then perhaps we could recylce the much smaller amount of textiles that are truly worn out.

[@emiliabolsas]

Happy Ash Very well written. All good points. If most of us made small, realistic, intentional decisions about our consumption (such as better tracking and using all the food they buy, making informed decisions about purchases and not just buying solely based on convenience or price or advertising) we would collectively improve the situation and overall be healthier and happier as a society.

[@jessip8654]

You'd be surprised how many of those no-waste grocery stores and farmer's markets buy their food plastic wrapped and from giant farming companies. Then they just peel off the plastic and set them out for their customers to feel good about themselves. My family has always had a garden and bought meat off the local farmers. There is a world of difference in quality between home grown and grocery store so we could literally taste the scam.

[@Pomagranite167]

I love the sero waste movement and participate myself, but you do need to remember it's about reducing waste, not being entirely waste free. Driving all the way to whole foods an hour away to get bulk ship soes nothing for the environment considering that drive, but if you have the means to like like so, you should. Even if you are poor, eating healthier foods like fresh produce, creates less waste, and helps keep the doctor away and helps you live longer. But it's really about what sacrofice tou are willing and able to make in order to protect the environment. Even reducing half of your waste is better than doing nothing at all.

[@regs3941]

Can't speak for the KZbinrs and bloggers you speak off, but we may take their message as inspiration to change whatever you're able to change and to get new sustainable ideas. I also think that it's depending on the place you live in. I'm from Germany and here it's very easy to use your refillable coffe cup. Even McDonalds gives you 10c less oft the regular price if you use your own cup. (but for me as a rather poor person I don't buy drinks to-go anyways). And here in Europe it's generally easy to get groceries unpacked. There are a lot of small supermarkets with little or less packaging and even huge supermarkets have a lot of food unpacked. So, as I do not have so much money at all, I still manage to buy a lot of things without packaging - almost nothing and it doesn't cost me more at all. Some things got cheaper as I need to do things buy my own to avoid packaging (I use soap for washing my hair, wich is cheaper and lasts longer then shampoo, for e.g.) and some costs a little more (like some groceries) . So, your arguments don't count for everyone. Where are you from? The US? I guess it's hard there, because anything seems to be packaged and I even heard of ppl claiming that some restaurants even use single-use plastic plates etc ...

[@happyash6048]

@@regs3941 This is exactly what I mean. These things you talk about are not possible in the US and it will take systemic change to make them possible. These things may not make people go zero waste, but they would lead to a significant reduction.

[@dreafromvenus]

I love to watch this kind of content here on KZbin. Educating and getting the knowledge to make a change. 👏🏼

[@dianasmith4]

Little did we know that those who thought a year of no shopping was unrealistic got to experience it on a full scale on 2020. Nowhere to go, being locked down at home with more than we actually needed = no motivation to buy. It took a pandemic to make me realize that I could live on a lot less and that I could almost live the rest of my existence without ever buying anything again. Priceless.

[@happycook6737]

Most of my friends bought even more during lock down! They shopped online to the extreme.

[@DeesBees76]

The average person doesn’t think a lot about the things they do and the long term consequences. They spend too much, eat too much, and then wonder why they’re so broke and fat. Don’t be one of those people.

[@Al-mq1pr]

yikes

[@maryseal6664]

Dan Becker seems like the average _american._ Go to southern Europe or Asia and you’d see completely different eating habits, shopping habits, and values. We Americans should take notes from other countries.

[@ramirenriquez6795]

I agree mindfulness is the only key here really. Most of us are in auto-pilot, don't care about the end results and into reckless material acquisition. We want to have our necessities, but buying one thing that has a very similar purpose of what you already have is just senseless. A lot of us is programmed to not repeat clothes in order to look wealthy or not seen as someone with limited options like it's a crime.

[@jamesedwards3923]

Yep, even when I was making some mistakes in investing. The 'idea' of planning was and is in my head.

[@FordFalcon1962nBlue]

right and then this leads to mental depression and mental illness, then they spend 5 hours a day on facebook arguing politics and name calling, another thing that ruined society, social media

[@oscarorozcoorejel]

I fill up my shopping list of stuff I want and then put it all for later and each month I pick out the stuff I need the most and save the rest for later. Now this don’t work all the time , I still over spend sometimes but I feel like I do it less especially since a lot of the stuff on my list stays there for months and I think that gives me a lot of control

[@leilanidru7506]

Proud of u for even making the smallest amount of change and progress. That’s a good system u got going there.

[@lsamoa]

I do the same. After a while you realise you didn't really need all that stuff in the "later" section and end up not buying them and saving money. It's a good system.

[@FruityUnicorn17]

lsamoa yes same here. I sometimes send myself the link to something I want and if I really really want it and have the money to spend on it, I’ll go back to the link and buy it but to be honest I forget about it most of the time so it saves me money lol.

[@lindsayann7756]

More people need to understand, “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” For most things…

[@bee5120]

I can NEVER be addicted to shopping and buying a lot of things because I'm a bit of a neat freak OCD. I hate clutter. I prefer living a semi-minimalist lifestyle.

[@MollyPorter]

5:21 A Small Wardrobe! :) My favorite.

[@patriciamycyk]

Thanks Molly 😘

[@ayior]

My mom has always been extremely minimalistic, not even keeping my childhood drawings and stuff. To her everything either has an immediate use or its clutter. She's an extreme, but a lot of her attitude has been imprinted on me. I only shop what I need, and if I buy spontaneously its something with an immediate benefit/joy like candy. Seeing this video hurts coming from a brutalist background like that XD

[@donttalktomeyoureannoying8736]

ayior what’s so crazy is that I saw an episode of Hoarders in which a woman was traumatized from her mother throwing away clutter, including her childhood drawings. I don’t think this is a solution. I don’t think you should keep garbage and useless items, but precious things like drawings and award, keep them encased or in a binder

[@ayior]

@@donttalktomeyoureannoying8736 yes, thats what I do - I have fought her to keep all my sketch books (im a professional artist nowadays)

[@misfithomemaker3683]

Was her mom or dad a horder? If yes, or she's been through loss, has a need for control. She does not throw it away because she does not love you. Your mom loves you.

[@josephinewinter]

my mother was the same, but because she threw out things that were precious to me i became a hoarder, because then there was plenty i didn't care about that she could throw out, leaving the things i did. Finally i became incapable of buying anything i like, because of the fear of losing it (it's a severe mental health problem) instead bulk-buying things i neither want nor need, so they can be lost or taken and i won't care.

[@sophiasuerth1964]

I’ve always had a “capsule wardrobe” & for that I’m grateful.

[@helenarichard]

It's not the consumer who is wasteful. I still have a great coat for 15 years that I bought at C&A, a chain that is now known as a bit of a budget shop, or even for poor people. They used to sell really pretty clothes and good quality. The best is still good. It's the quality at the store that changed. No wonder we need to buy new clothes every year.

[@lunayen]

The consumer is also wasteful. If you buy 3 pairs of jeans when you only use two just because 3 is on sale, how is that not wasteful?

[@caliblu3872]

Ironic. What's the balance of the saving's accounts of these people who haul? I get high by not spending a dime then checking my account balance.

[@-Oddish-]

Cali Blu Seeing 10k+ after a couple years and having a small collection of valuable and meaningful items in my home is a MUCH greater high

[@ahuddleston6512]

Me too!

[@marzipan2555]

it depends, these youtubers probably get a business expense tax write off for their haul videos

[@danielc5205]

For me, I hate spendig money. I try to only buy what I need, and haven't had a credit card in over 10 years.

[@humicroav215]

I pay my credit card off every week and use the points for several free flights a year.

[@greenkitty82]

Fantastic! I'm kind of the same. I don't like spending money unless I have a real need for something, I have a budget every month and I tend to buy my clothes retro second hand as it's better for the planet (many fibres in clothing can't be broken down when recycled and it takes 4000 litres of water to make a new pair of Jeans). If I do spend money on non necessities it will be for a donation or experience somewhere. Buying stuff just doesn't make me happy in the long run.

[@Doriesep6622]

That's impressive. I am aiming to get out of credit card hell, and cease sinning.

[@awkwardmyrtle]

@@humicroav215 Same for my family. The amount of different credit cards we've had is probably pushing 30, but we've never had any card debt. Because of them, we've been able to take nice vacations for waaaaay less money.

[@granitemoss1451]

@@humicroav215 I take the cash back, throw it at slaying the mortgage. Every little bit helps. I only purchase things in the budget that I was buying anyway. A major home renovation and family trip to Disney were both charged in the last few years, which brought a nice cash back bonus. All charges were paid in full within a day or two of hitting the account.

[@MsMegadude64]

Jeff Bezos: **Drinks sweatshop kids tears as he watches.**

[@aidoll3692]

Add h&m, nike, and other places

[@FeebleAntelope]

A lot of things, like clothes are built to fall apart faster, which is probably related to why people spend more on such things. Replacements are needed more often due to how the economy is structured.

[@bubblegummel]

The anxiety of not being able to properly look at, try on and hold a product, plus the worry of if/when it arrives when i buy something online compeltely negates the convenience of online shopping. Stalking the isles of charity shop for a bargain gives me a buzz.

[@dariawells7438]

This is why I very rarely buy things online - I like the ability to easily return things if I don't want them. 98% of my wardrobe is thrifted as well.

[@aliciaherrle]

So glad to be a minimalist and free from the endless cycle of materialism

[@ErutaniaRose]

This is why I am a minimalist now. If I feel like buying something as I transition to minimalism, I get a consumable, like candy or drinks that I can't normally get. So, I try to use it as a treat for when I clean up.

[@WallyTony]

I stopped working at the post office once I was made to deliver packages on Sunday. People get too much stuff, period.

[@Housewarmin]

Can you do a video on thrift shopping, and the craze behind it? I find that while people are shopping more, lots of millennials are buying second hand.

[@YourMajesty143]

Yea but we end up throwing those out and buying more "newer" used clothes once we get bored of the last shopping haul. So it's the same cycle still, but with a bit of greenwashed pat on the back for not buying directly from the manufacturers designers. The best is a non-consumerist zero-waste, minimalism.

[@Housewarmin]

YourMajesty143 I donate my clothes back to the thrift store. I’ve never thrown clothes in the trash.

[@m.ophie.a3644]

I throw away items that can no longer be used because there's no clothing recycling locally. But if I mix slightly past use items with good ones and send them to ThredUp it gets recycled into upholstery and more clothing.

[@Doriesep6622]

@@Housewarmin Goodwill throws it in the trash. They are a profit making corporation, who hire people for a pittance under the guise of "job training." Check out their profits.

[@elsagrace3893]

I shopped second hand from age 16 to 30. Now I can’t find anything but crap there.

[@RasmoKiMehndi]

This video needs to be shared and guys please don't make our planet turn into trash...it's our home.

[@suakeli]

This is absolutely insane. Like the lady who bought 5 pairs of jeans, 5 leggings AND 5 sweatpants. That's more trousers than I've bought in the last 10 years. Just buy one good pair of jeans and sweatpants and you won't need to replace them for over a year. Shopping is just a boring, expensive chore so I have no idea why anyone would waste more money than what's purely necessary.

[@cordulam]

Maybe she has lost or gained a lot of weight? That was my problem throughout many decades. Every time I thought: "Oh, this time I'll manage to keep my weight" or "I'll never manage to get that slim again" and threw out all my jeans/ skirts that were far too big or far too tight. Then two or three years later I had to buy new stuff. Now I just keep several sizes in my wardrobe.

[@PinkAgaricus]

Also different clothes and layers for different seasons as well. Wildly inconsistent women's sizing within and between brands exists.

[@momofmany9954]

As a Millennial Mom of 4 girls and being married since I was 21, I don't like shopping. I see it as a chore/necessity (I.e Groceries). I'm raising my girls in a 900SF home away from all the consumerism. I'm life schooling my girls and find that less is more and everyone's mental health is better for it. I get really bad anxiety when I see clutter.

[@lifeofsabine9685]

you mentioned best dressed aka the queen of thrifting!!✨✨

[@suides4810]

That one didnt age well, no?

[@aden_za3359]

she doesn't seem to be into sustainability anymore

[@lifeofsabine9685]

@@aden_za3359 i know it’s kind of upsetting:(

[@chuforeichi]

I go 'shopping' when I realize Ive been indoors for a week. It's my go to outdoors activity.

[@WilliamFang173]

It's a constant struggle. With the exception of really good books and items of sentimental values (like old photos), I try to get rid of things that I don't use at least once a year. And I try to buy things only when I know I need them.

[@AA123TD]

Too many things leads to an unhappy life because of decision fatigue. I would rather have a capsule collection than a ton of cheap pieces in my closet that I fret about what to wear in the morning.

[@greenkitty82]

Aisha Abdikarim yes the French do this - they have on average maybe 25 good quality items in their wardrobe and mix and match. They don't have cheap crap that breaks after a short time.

[@colleenstanton574]

It's the best! I've been doing an unofficial capsule wardrobe for around 5 years and I stress about what to wear maybe....once every one or two months?

[@greenkitty82]

Skeptics we love you anyway true but the best option is to buy good quality second hand if you can. That's what I try and do and only buy very cheap if I can wear it a long time and can repair it if it rips. I don't have a throwaway mentality at all but social conditioning has infiltrated the majority of our minds to make us throwaway.

[@marcilk7534]

I so much prefer to shop in person. I know clearly what I’m getting. I tried buying bath towels online, 2 different sets, and had to return them both. Colors not what it showed, snagged towels, just not worth it.

[@Doriesep6622]

I am so lazy, I buy without trying on and then rarely return.

[@jj7958]

same. I only buy online when it is a certain specific item that the stores around me don't sell or that is hard to find. For most items, it's so much faster to get the product you need by going to the near by store and you're going to know what you're getting. You can feel, touch, smell, see, and/or hear the product before you make the purchase. I don't like returning stuff either.

[@mentor590]

Here in India, it's easy to return online items with no extra charges. Thank God for that 🙏

[@erinmcdonnell3835]

thank god!

[@claudinelefebvre5462]

Love the little touch at the end of the video, that song was perfect!

[@jholotanbest2688]

It should be illegal to produce useless stuff or at least it should be taxed out of oblivion.

[@pennypay1]

For me, 'useless' includes gag gifts like Bobble-head dolls and the majority of the junk sold in souvenir shops. Also those hideous two-foot-long plastic tubes of pastel or red-and-green candies sold during holidays. Those that don't sell get marked way down until they do sell, and next year the shelves are full of new ones. All that plastic!!

[@472_d3]

I think it should be illegal for fashion brands to burn they new unsold chlotes

[@genli5603]

Move to a communist country. Venezuela is lovey. Then you will live in chronic shortage forever because of thinkers like you.

[@jholotanbest2688]

@@genli5603 Ahh the classic slippers slope fallacy 😂

[@mimimarcus]

It should but it won't because politicians are in the pockets of these corporations.

[@KR-nv3ru]

Hurrah for minimalism. I buy experiences, not things. 😎

[@nadasalim543]

While watching this video I feel that I am the most rational and difficult person shopping because before buying i ask myself a lot before buying anything.