This post is by our regular Wednesday contributor, Erin.
Did you ever stop to think that unplugging can save you money? Have you thought about how being attached to all sorts of media at all times of the day is impacting your finances?
If you haven’t, then read on, because being connected is costing you, one way or another.
Smartphones, tablets, and computers are so ingrained in our society these days that no one actually stops to think about the financial repercussions they have.
But maybe it’s time we do.
Here are my thoughts on how unplugging can save you money in the long run.
Unplugging Gets You Off of Social Media
There have been various mentions that social media only feeds the “Keeping Up with the Joneses” mentality that so many people have, and I agree.
Our friends and family are constantly posting pictures of their purchases, whether it be their vacation destinations, clothing, cars, or food.
Social media can serve to perpetuate the consumerism that’s rampant almost everywhere.
Tell me – and be honest – have you ever felt a pang of jealousy after seeing a friend post something amazingly awesome on their news feed?
Probably.
That leads to an awful habit or need to “one-up” the other person, and it needs to stop.
How do we break the cycle? By unplugging.
Now, I know that’s not realistic for a lot of people. Social media can be highly addicting.
What I am saying is that we need to be more mindful of things.
Be mindful of the fact that whatever appears on social media is just one small snippet of someone’s life. Who’s to say they didn’t go into debt from the purchase they’re bragging about?
Be mindful of how certain people make you feel, too. Do you really want to be friends with those that constantly show off their purchases?
Do what you have to do to put a stop to jealousy. Take a planned hiatus from social media, clean up your friends list, and try being grateful for what you have.
Unplugging Gets You Away from Pinterest
Pinterest gets its own section, even though it’s technically a social media platform. Why? Because it sucks so many people in, day after day, and leaves them dreaming about what they want, but might not be able to have.
Pinterest is the epitome of perfection when it comes to the home, crafts, beauty, fitness, and more. People then want to attain that level of perfection, and they feel bad when their home looks nothing like the one in the photo they’re pinning.
While DIY projects are great, if you don’t need a refurbished chair/desk/table, then you’re spending money just because you saw something cute on the internet. It can very easily lead to mindless spending.
If you find yourself lost in the abyss of pins, get out and take a break. You might find you don’t miss it!
Unplugging Means Avoiding Well-Crafted Emails
Did you receive super salesy emails over the holidays? I was actually laughing at some of the ones I received.
“You absolutely must buy this,” “You need our products,” “Best deals you can’t afford to miss!”
Um, no.
I have all of these emails go to my junk email, but wading through them kind of ticked me off. I couldn’t help but wonder how many of these emails were appealing to the little voice in the back of people’s minds, begging them to give in and treat themselves.
If you have a weakness for shopping at all, please unsubscribe from these types of emails, or at the very least, avoid them until you know you need to buy something.
Retailers are NOT your friends. “Deals you can’t afford to miss”? What about deals you can’t afford, period?
When You Unplug, You Leave Technology Behind
Let’s face it – most of us have fancy smartphones that we paid about $100-$300 for. Laptops, PCs, tablets, e-readers – they all cost a decent amount.
So the very things we’re using to consume media are costing us. Even more if you pay for a data plan.
Because of our “need” to be connected all the time, we’re purchasing all these different gadgets to stay connected. I mean, who really needs a smartwatch?
Then you have the fact that technology is constantly being upgraded. People go from the iPhone 5s to the iPhone 6 without blinking. There’s never a question of upgrading – they need the new technology, even when their old phone is working just fine.
People make an occasion of camping out to get the latest stuff. Is it really worth it?
Decide to unplug and attempt to stay away from technology for a day. I’m sure you can do it (if you don’t need it for work-related purposes). Hopefully, you’ll realize the setup you have is working well for you, and that there’s no need to go out and spend $X on the newest thing to hit the market.
Unplugging Gives Us Much Needed Perspective
It all comes down to needing perspective. We get caught up in what everyone else has, what the media is telling us we need, and essentially, what we don’t have.
The easiest way to regain control over your spending is to remove yourself as the target, and unplugging is the best way to go about it.
When is the last time you went without internet? Most of us can’t even imagine that!
The days of living simply are fading away. That’s why we need to gain a different perspective.
I’ll admit, I’m saying this as someone who isn’t overly attached to being connected, aside from the fact I need the internet to work. There are times I forget to take my phone with me when going somewhere!
Because of that, I can say with certainty that it’s easier for me to be grateful for everything I have. I’m not trying to compete with anyone on owning the most stuff, or the newest stuff.
I only purchase things I need, when I need them. I know I care about my money more than anyone else, so I’m not going to let others influence my purchasing decisions.
For example, I bought a phone exactly one year ago. A new second generation just came out, for $100 more than I originally paid. I didn’t even think about upgrading, as my current phone is working just as well as the day I got it.
If there’s something you’ve been wanting to buy for a while because someone else has it and it looks cool, or because you keep seeing it advertised, take a step back and ask if it’s right for you.
__________________
If you’ve felt pulled by the tides of consumerism, it’s time to take a step back and evaluate why. If social media, crafty marketing, or the desire to “be better than everyone else” is coming into play, then unplugging could save you money. Give it a try!
Do you think unplugging can help you regain control of your finances and tame the temptation to spend? How do deal with being jealous of others (if you feel that way)? Does practicing gratitude help you?
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I love this post! I absolutely think that unplugging can help me regain control of my finances. The more I’m unplugged, the less I’m exposed to advertisements and new products asking me to buy them. The less I’m exposed, the less I buy. The less I buy, the more I regain control of my finances.
Whenever I start to feel jealous of others, whether it’s something I see on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, I immediately take a minute to reflect on those feelings and then promptly take a break from social media for the day and use that time to reflect on everything I have that I should be grateful for. I remind myself that I am blessed to have my family and that we are all healthy and happy. Gratitude can do wonders for abolishing jealousy!
although I don’t think I’ve ever caved because of images I’ve seen on social medial, I have absolutely felt jealous about the trips people are taking, the restaurants they are trying, etc. So even if I don’t buy, I still feel bad and I have been actively trying to unplug more recently.
EmbracingSimple All of this is awesome, and I completely agree and do the same. Not everything is as it seems on social media, so I try not to pay much attention to what people are showcasing. It helps I’ve never really understood what the big deal was with social media in regards to my personal life, so I’m barely on it. =)
Beachbudget Jealousy is definitely not worth it. It can be hard to focus on how great our lives actually are when our focus is on what others get to experience.
Facebook definitely gets me down sometimes, especially when I see friends going on countless vacations, buying new cars and living in amazing homes. I’ll start questioning what am I doing wrong with my life. And then I realize, I am not doing anything wrong, everyone’s situation is different and I’m living the life I need to live!
I’ll admit – I love my electronics! I don’t live near family or close friends anymore, so it’s my main method of communication and seeing what everyone is up to. But I have made a conscious effort to limit how many times I log into Facebook. Instead I try to focus on 1 to 1 contact with a friend or family member, whether it’s texting, emailing or sending each other photos :) It’s more purposeful and rewarding for me.
I agree – don’t waste time voluntarily subjecting yourself to consumerism. If you NEED to be “plugged in,” then use technology for something productive. I recently posted about using those few extra minutes for making money instead of wasting time:
http://creatingmykaleidoscope.com/2015/01/09/why-you-need-a-side-hustle/
I think unplugging can also mean more sleep! I am much more productive if I don’t feel like I’m about to nod off.
I wonder if we frugal folks might also utilize social media to make responsible saving and spending seem cool. Not that unplugging isn’t an awesome strategy (it’s also much more effective and realistic than what I’m suggesting). But the culture of “cool” is created by all of us. The pics of the extravagant vacation seem cool because we all participate in the ‘liking’ of them.
I’m probably being naive, but might it also be cool to pay $25 for our phone bills? Would that get liked?
I find that unplugging also forces me to be more in the moment… which is something that I struggle with, now that our lives have so, so many electronics in them.
I definitely unplugged a lot more from Facebook. I took the app off my phone and only check it about once a week. It’s such a time suck and there’s really not much new to see that often. I like getting the news online so I use twitter for that now as I can just follow news outlets and don’t get distracted by other stuff.
believeinabudget I know the feeling – especially being a few years out of college, it’s hard to see people “moving on” so quickly, buying nice homes and having great jobs. But you’re right, everyone’s situation is different.
One-on-one conversation is much better! My family loves Skyping each other (so much so, they sometimes forget actually calling people is an option).
Harmony@CreatingMyKaleidoscope Exactly! It’s something we’ve covered here before as well.
Eyesonthedollar Haha, very true. A lot of people have a habit of checking on everything right before they go to sleep, and somehow an hour will pass by!
DonebyForty Always with the insightful comments! =) It would be nice to be able to start a little revolution on social media, placing an emphasis on saving rather than materialism. When I saw one of my old coworkers try out Republic Wireless, I was super excited! I’d be all over liking frugal statuses if that were to happen.
moneypropeller Yes! It kills me when I see a family out to dinner, and everyone is on a phone or a tablet. Technology makes it way too easy to lose focus on enjoying the present.
Practical Cents That’s a good way to use Twitter! I’m barely on Facebook as well – I keep up with friends and family back home, and that’s it.
I am definitely grateful for how technology has given me certain freedom, but it is definitely important to unplug too. We need time for ourselves. As you said, to gain perspective and think our own thoughts! Sometimes my phone is such a distraction that it can take away from living in the present so I try to be extra mindful of when I need to shut it off and live in the moment.
I think unplugging from TV, Social Media, etc certainly can put your mind in another area and get you thinking less of spending. Advertisements are good and know what we want or they tell us what we want at least.
I think the social media is probably the biggest one here that could save most people money and happiness. It’s one thing to see advertisers trying to persuade you with what to spend your money on, but seeing your friends or peers show off their latest holidays or other highlights that require spending tends to have a bigger impact, especially if it starts becoming ‘the norm’. I was on facebook briefly years ago, but since I shut it down I’ve felt far better about life. Definitely more room for unplugging though!
I agree with you. I believe that unplugging can help you save money and much more. I’ve cut my TV watching back a whole lot. By doing this I have more time to write and work on other side hustles. I need to unplug from twitter every once in a while as well.
Fortunately I do not really get jealous of others, I let them motivate me instead, but I have lots of clients who spend too much money because they are plugged in and typically it’s to a Groupon app. For me, I just like to unplug more for my own mental health more than anything. It feels good to take a break from everything even if it’s just for a few hours.
I go back and forth with unplugging. I think there’s value to it, but there is also value in plugging in. I like the idea of having a block of time (maybe after 7:30pm, for example), where I’m not going to be plugged in at all.
Financegirl That seems like a great idea! The idea of unplugging is something I struggle with, particularly because a large part of my professional life involves social media and online marketing. I often find that I’ll spend a couple of hours when I get home from work actively avoiding it and reading a book or cooking to stay unplugged.
ShannonRyan Being mindful of when you need to stop and enjoy what’s going on is so important! I think it takes a little getting used to at first, but it’s worth it.
EvenStevenMoney Yeah, I have been seeing a few advertisements getting super pushy lately, which is just turning me off to products.
Jason@Islands of Investing Yes, I do think friends are more influential and impactful, as we’re always tempted to compare ourselves to what they have/are doing. The happiness factor is just as big as the spending factor!
Jason @ The Butler Journal I think Twitter can sometimes be worse, as it’s so fast-paced. It seems like updates are always coming in! Glad to hear you’ve cut back on TV watching to be more productive.
blonde_finance I do like the attitude of being motivated instead of jealous, and I agree that for me, unplugging has the biggest benefit on my overall well-being.
Financegirl That’s a great idea – I imagine it helps with getting to sleep as well. I know it’s not the best thing to keep your eyes on a screen until bedtime.
Becca from beccasloans I feel similarly; as a freelancer/blogger, social media (and marketing) is a big part of what I do. So much so, I don’t really feel like using it for my personal life, but sometimes I can’t get away from it for work purposes.
I can’t afford or better yet not willing to unplug from my computer, but I don’t watch as much television as I use to, which makes the reason why I have cable even more crazy. I do try to disconnect at least once a week and give my daughter extra quality time.
I have to force myself to unplug everyday just to go for a run or get away from the screen. I NEVER regret it.
I can’t figure out how people wait in those lines overnight. Are these some kind of alien hybrids who don’t have to go to the bathroom???
Debtfreemartini Aw, having quality family time is great! I don’t think it’s as necessary to unplug (as far as money goes) if your line of work requires you to be online.
brokeandbeau I never regret taking a break from looking at the screen, either. It gets tiring (and it’s not healthy)!
kay ~ lifestylevoices.com Ha, I don’t even want to know, Kay. =) I’m very much anti-lines (and anti-waiting), so I can’t identify with that at all.
I bought a first generation kindle fire for $199 a few years ago, and now they’re selling the kindle fire HD for $99! I keep telling myself I don’t need it.
I spend so much money online!! It’s one of my New Years resolutions, unplug and stop spending money I don’t need to spend!
Mark@BareBudgetGuy Oh, I hate it when that happens! I wouldn’t encourage needless spending, *but* if you can sell your Kindle Fire for $100, you could always get the new one (I have no idea what they’re going for, though!). That’s what my thought process is when considering an upgrade.
Project Ikonz It is super easy to buy things online vs in the store. Especially with things like Paypal and Amazon one-click. Good luck!