Tone Down Your Toy Obsession
Sunday, January 13th, 2008If you take a good look at the people around you today, you might notice that all of the adults are playing with toys. Sure, we call them ‘gadgets’ or ‘electronics’ but these things are more commonly used for entertainment purposes than for the functional productivity that they may offer. For example, the iPhone is good for both voice and data communication but it’s also a toy for playing games and music. If we’re honest, most of us didn’t go out and buy it for its phone functions. The problem with our love of techie toys is that they’re not cheap. If you want to reduce the amount of money that you’re spending, the first thing that you should cut out is your love of toys.
There are three main reasons that gadgets are such a costly thing to purchase. First, there is the outright cost which may be a little bit pricey. Second, there is the ongoing cost which includes monthly bills as well as the accessories and applications which are purchased to improve the gadget. And finally, there is the fact that all gadgets have a short shelf life – they either break and require replacement or they are surpassed in quality by a new product which starts the cycle of buying all over again. Because of these factors, falling in love with new toys causes us to spend quite a bit of money.
Of course, no one is saying that you have to stop buying gadgets all together. You just need to get smarter about your spending and start thinking “simple” when it comes to making electronics purchases. Think of it this way – you wouldn’t allow your child to get every toy in a toy store just because “the other kids have it”. Likewise, you don’t need to get every gadget that comes out just because everyone in your office or online social network is talking about how cool it is. You’re not an adolescent anymore and you should know better than trying to be cool.
To reduce your spending on gadgets, you’ll need to change your mindset about them. First, stop thinking of them as necessities and start treating them as luxuries. If you can’t afford the iPhone without using a miles credit card, you probably don’t need it. Next, you’ll want to focus your interests so that your gadgets feed a specific hobby or profession. Determine which area of technology interests you most – digital photography, podcasting or music tools. Then reduce your gadget spending to only support this area. Try to find a way to actually earn some money from your hobby so that you offset the cost of your tech toys. And finally, start doing product comparisons before you make purchases. You really don’t need the newest tech tool if you already have one that basically does the same things. Buy wisely. Treat yourself like a spoiled kid about your toys and you’ll soon realize that you’re acting like more of an adult.
