Principled Simplicity

Ways to be Simple

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Chapter VII

Advertising is the art of convincing people to spend money they don't
have for something they don't need - Will Rogers

Material Simplicity - Suppress the 'urge to buy'

Hypnotizing and Subliminal Advertisements
Many advertisements come in television, which attracts us, changes us, make us mad, sometimes conquer us and make us addicted. A finding from a Western research says that some advertisements are produced in such a way, that they go deep and get embedded into our minds. The characters, their dress, their style, conversation, dialogue delivery, background score, all keep aside your judgmental mind and start imposing the advertiser's ideas forcibly into your brain. So what next? You become like a keyed toy, go and buy the said commodity or expensive thing without ever wanting it really. This is called 'subliminal'. Those who see advertisements daily and also follow them strictly are sure to become paupers and to the streets! Then their lives become fit enough to be a screen play for another television serial!

Just do a 'small survey' immediately
Walk around your home with a paper and pen. Just jot down all the needy things based on their use to you. Do not leave anything in your house. Everything you see. Give 100 marks for those who are inseparable like gas, gas stove, light, fan, etc. Give lesser marks for things, which are sparingly used. You will be surprised that 90 % of the goods in your house being useless or in other words, which are sparingly used.

You may find surprisingly certain unwanted things filling your almirah unopened! The unnecessary stuff makes cockroaches dwell there. Most of those unwanted things would have been purchased using credit cards and the dues would also accumulate for nothing. More the interest paid to the bank further shoots up your blood pressure!

Let bygones be bygones. Let the future be good. Do you feel like buying something you see at a friend's place or see in an advertisement? Do you feel the rush to buy at any cost? All you need is to just do one thing. Sit in a chair. Relax and lean to your back and then ask yourself the following five questions and answer them.

Those five questions:
Question No 1: Is this thing very essential for me? Do I want it?
If the answer is 'no', it's OK. On the other hand, if the answer is 'yes', you are inviting trouble. Then go to the next question.

Question No 2: Do I need it?
If the answer is 'no' again, you are fine. If the answer is 'yes', it means you are in danger. Then go to the third question.

Question No 3: Can I afford to buy it? Do I have the capacity to buy it?
It is pertinent to know before you answer this question, that you have the money to buy that thing, well in your account. If you are going to get credit for the same, the credit should again be reasonable. Can you repay the credit card company in time? Ask this question too. If you have the capacity to re-pay the monthly installments, it is fine. If you get a big 'NO' as an answer for all the questions, it is great, you are free. However, if you get a big 'YES' as an answer, then YOU MUST go to answer question number four.

Question No 4: Can I lead my life without this?
This is an IMPORTANT question. Most of the things in our homes are not the essentials in our life. Still we accumulate them. We can easily say, 'yes, this is not really an essential item in my life or lifestyle. You can avoid buying such things immediately. Nothing will change or life becomes abnormal if we stop buying that thing. If your answer for this question is once again a big 'no' you are saved, but if your answer is 'yes', you have to answer the final fifth question without fail and then may proceed with your purchase.

Question No 5: Can I postpone buying it?
By asking this vital question, you may postpone the purchase if needed, maybe you may cut down your desire of buying the product later, forever, which does better than harm in the long run.

These 5 wonder questions:
You will be surprised that after answering these vital wonder questions, you will end up, not buying many unwanted things. You will be a true man using your sixth sense, not getting carried away by advertisements. Your family welfare will be safe. Simple lifestyle will engulf you, and you will walk with a raised head ever. You will feel light – hearted. Savings will grow. All in your family together or alone can undertake this self – examination. Still a better choice is to do it as a group.

Sixth 'bonus' question:
Still is your desire to buy more is not doused? Then this sixth question which needs to penetrate your head and mind is:

'Does this affect the environment or will this purchase cause pollution?'
Let us practice Ecofrugality which ¬ is leading a lifestyle of enjoying a frugal living, thus reducing both our local and global environmental impacts.

Good expense
Do you know the best expenditure in the world? It is spending to save! Yes, this four lettered word 'save' saves you a lot. The more you spend on saving, the more you gain.

Let others who are pompous and extravagant, weep around for their misfortune.

We should remember a point. There are not less than 10 crore people in our country living with the sky as their roof. They live, eat, deliver children and die on footpaths. It is a shame that a few crores of the populace are starving without even a square meal a day. Many die due to starvation. More than that, many tender hands of children toil and work hard in harsh conditions to support their family!

There are so many underprivileged poor souls like the lame, blind, orphans, destitute, discarded, aged, suppressed, women who resort to run brothels for want of food, beggars, those who do petty thefts as they do not know how to earn their bread, and so on. Is it right on our path to spend lavishly when our brethren are dying due to penury? Is it fair?

It is not the gold plate or aluminum plate which satisfies our hunger. It is the food on the plate that fills our stomach.

You want to lead an easy life? Be stronger yourself. Control the wavering mind. You want your life to be a smooth sail? Be tough to yourself.

Guilty conscience
More than making us feel rich, extravagance makes us feel pompous. The very feeling that we are supercilious will develop a guilty feeling in our mind and that also leads us to illness.

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