I happened to see this image while browsing the other day, and I thought, "it's funny because it's true". I'm usually pretty good at managing my funds when it comes to things that I really 'need' and things that I could do without, such as an iphone or whatever the latest craze might be. Whenever I go shopping, I find myself thinking, "do I really need this?", which can become pretty annoying at times for myself and whoever is unfortunate enough to have to wait on me at the time. But by asking that simple question, I have saved myself from countless 'impulse' buys, which I would have regretted a week, month, or a year down the line.
It's not like I haven't been thinking of getting an iphone, but I already own an ipod touch, which has all the functions of an iphone except telephony capability. So I can't justify spending a few hundred extra just to be able to call people, which I can already do perfectly fine from my current cell.
Another thing that has caught my attention is how adapt we've become at accepting the expected cost of items and monthly contracts. For instance, being an international student, I've been trying to find a cell phone plan that suits my needs and doesn't require me to part with all that money I could be spending on booze. But I'm forced to accept the fact that I'll be paying 20/50c for every text and call that I make or receive because I don't want to be locked into a contract.
Technology around is advancing rapidly, and enabling us to do more things, but we've also gotten used to accepting the increasing price tag. I wonder if it will ever get to a stage where we are willingly paying a couple of thousand for our cell phones, or could there be an era where our technology, like the fashion industry, becomes influenced by 'retro' trends and makes a return to simpler functionality? Will our brains be able to keep up with the advancing technology? Or will we grow tired of adapting to new ways of doing things and end up reminiscing of old times like the older generation?
I would consider myself a person that is guilty of frequent impulse purchases. I can remember an instance where I bought a 70 dollar airsoft gun on a trip to REI to buy football cleats my junior year of highschool, and I think i've maybe used it 3 times since. Remembering purchases like this make me feel pretty spoiled and lucky that I have grown up in a financially secure family, however; I learn from these for the future, trying to weigh each things importance. I do expect that I will make plenty more of these purchases in the future, but in doing so, I hope to learn from these mistakes and move on. There will always be an upgraded version of something you have, but it just takes discipline to determine how unnecessary it is, which is the case in most technology now days.
ReplyDeleteThe iPad is a perfect example of something nobody needs, but 300,000 people have already paid $500 for, and even more in some countries abroad.
ReplyDeleteI do think it is funny how fashion goes "retro" and how old styles emerge in cycles and are the hot new thing. However, I can't see this happening in the technological sector. I mean a few people might decide that they don't need the newest thing but as technology progresses today's newest thing becomes tomorow's old news. Just look at cell phones for example. 8 years ago my mom got a cell phone that had a color screen and it was the new thing. Now you can hardly find a cell phone without a camera and color screen. The phones that companies give away with contracts are substantially better than the best phone you could by 8 years ago. So maybe a few people will give up their technology but I can't see many giving up their iPhone to resort back to a color candy bar phone.
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