Walking home from the grocery store after spending $65 on groceries triggered a moment of insight. I often struggle with operating from the framework of buying what I need versus what I think I might need.
Even if I need it down the road, I often buy it in the moment so it doesn’t run out. Even though this used to be a good thing when funds were low and there was more month than money, at one point it has become a hindrance.
This has affected my ability to save in the long term because I often dip into my savings to get good deals. The old adage is that you never know if it’s going to go on sale again when you need it.
That adage comes from a poverty mindset, where there is no shortage of people overstocking and spending on deals.
However, I am learning that these deals come more often than not, and that I can’t predict the future on how I am going to feel about something.
For example, I often eat Greek yogurt in the mornings, but there are times I get tired of it or I sometimes go through periods where I don’t eat breakfast in the mornings. So even though Greek yogurt is on sale, it might not be the best saving for me.
There have been times when I have bought it and then had to rush to eat it because it had been sitting in my fridge for a long time.
When you grow up in poverty or an environment where money is scarce, looking at ads and deals is often put on a pedestal.
“Get it, it’s on sale!”
“You might need it later!”
“It might not be on sale again!”
“You might not have the money again when it does go back on sale!”
These statements often come from the mindset of someone who has struggled to have their basic needs met.
However, this can work against individuals over time because now it’s about always having, even when it is not needed, even when someone has climbed their way out of poverty.
Hoarding is a symptom of this behavior, for example. It’s why you can find it in any class setting.
Because those who didn’t have much, always worried about the next meal, next item, the next paycheck, and learned to plan ahead and prepare for the worst.
I don’t hoard food, and I am a minimalist with the things that I own. Admittedly, I don’t like clutter, and the less you own, the less clutter there is, plus there is the natural benefit of not having to clean as much.
For example, no piles of dishes when you keep a maximum of four plates, four bowls, and clean as you go.
With that said, I can see the slippery slope that one could fall on and suddenly find themselves hoarding more than what is needed. Of course, there are other mental factors at play, but I can see the connection.
Later this evening, I went to Target and got only one thing I actually needed, a pillow, for $3.50. I had been propping my head up at night with smashed pillows and blankets.
It was time to grab another!
I walked around and explored and ended up in the food section and didn’t pick up a single item. Scratch that—I almost got a package of strawberries for $2.99, but put them back because I have stuff for smoothies and applesauce.
I might not have strawberries, but I do have food at home, and I don’t need them right now. Once the fruit from home is gone, I can pick some up.
The same goes for the mini Lucky Charms and mini Cocoa Puffs I had seen. They didn’t end up in my cart like the strawberries that were put back, but I did tell myself in that moment…
“You have two boxes of cereal at home. It might not be the ones you want right now, but it’s the ones you have.”
It felt good to walk out of the store with what I needed in the moment and not what I will or think I’ll need down the road.
The plan is to do more of that.
P.S. Don’t get me wrong; when it comes to household products like toilet paper, I will not be waiting until the last roll.
The Broke College Student 
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