to ask if you've achieved the nirvana of not wanting to buy stuff you REALLY don't want

I don't really want to buy stuff like that, my issue is more clothes/jewellery/watches.

I really wish I could find a way to minimalist Nirvana. I tried Mari Kondo, nice idea but it hasn't fully worked!

There’s a lady who does YouTube videos of the Lidl and Aldi middle aisle every week. I watch these think that’s nice /useful and then not feel the need to buy it

I'm not buying any more ornaments or little cute things. I still buy the odd picture for the walls as I can look at them all the time and they don't take up room.

I’ve really stepped away from material things. Still have all the basics and I enjoy seeing what other people buy and watch a lot of styling tutorials but I rarely buy anything for my home like nick nacks or decorative bits.

It just feels like a massive waste of money and I hate clutter. Those jelly cat things are really cute I agree but they serve no real purpose other than nice to look at - which in itself is fine, we should enjoy things that make us happy but when you know it’ll only make you feel happy for the short term then the happiness is not real, it’s just a dopamine hit.

I really try to not buy into consumerism and mass production, I’m trying to be more sustainable as throwing stuff away makes me feel awful.

I don’t really know how I got there, perhaps just being over run from kids crap all the time I just want clean empty space 🤣

By the way, Tiger sell very similar lemons and blueberries as doorstops but without the faces on. For half the price.

Maybe you need to find something to do with your time? I know that sounds patronising but all the things you are saying you want to buy are completely pointless. Just a waste of your money, your space and the planet's resources.

If you like smal things, you could get into making small models or something - not loads of simple things or kits, but really making something of value.

My impossible-to-buy-for friend may be getting some of these for Christmas, thank you!

i think it’s a muscle OP. Some of us need to work harder than others on it - unfortunately!

It is absolutely ok to realise that’s cute/funny/adorable but I’m not buying it. The more you do that the easier it gets. It sounds like you’re pretty comfortable with this already which is great.

I found great success in our family by simply not exposing ourselves to stuff to buy. The kids ‘I wants’ dropped off a LOT during covid when we couldn’t actually go to the shops. They didn’t see it therefore they didn’t want it.

That can be a helpful strategy for you if you want to avoid the FOMO feeling. Work out the temptations then avoid them.

Another helpful strategy can be saving up for something you do really want (holiday, new jewellery etc). Then you can tell yourself it’s cute/funny etc but it will get in the way of your goals for xyz and it helps diminish the items importance in your mind.

A tip my mum once gave me when I spliting up with someone and they didn't want me to take an ornament was to take a picture of it. So that's what I did and it's there if I need it, but I haven't looked at it since and don't miss the ornament.

I do like pretty things, but I'm of the mindset now it needs a practical use more than anything, otherwise it will just gather dust. I just can't be arsed with it all now and the COL crisis and having to spend much more on rent, fuel and food has put me of buying stuff i dont need, and I think thats the case for a lot of people. A lot of younger kids don't seems to care much about 'stuff' and appearances now either. I just think it is a sign of the times. People are either too busy, too wise to advertising, too broke or very conscious of environmental issues to care about materialism anymore.

My niece and I are obsessed with the Muppet Christmas Carol. They brought a 'live orchestra' screening to a theatre near us and I bought us tickets as a treat.

On the way there I saw the jellycat vegetables in a shop window and dashed in to buy four of them. We held them up in the dress circle and sang along and it was worth every silly penny.

I barely spend money on anything material object wise anyway - if I do need something it is mainly second hand and I wear clothes until they are falling apart. I do spend money on doing things with my friends and family as material stuff doesn't mean much to me.

Unfortunately I have a husband who spends a lot on complete crap 😂

Have you tried counselling? Would presumably be cheaper than the shopping and would definitely take up less space!

Hoarding is very hard to tackle so it maybe that you have already tried.

I have a clothes hoarding issue. I buy at least 5 new clothes items every month. Minimum. I’ve got huge storage bags of clothes. I haven’t worn 90% of them.

I was talking to the person who is a maker! What you are talking about making is definitely not useful.

Her books are a much better deal

If you make useful things you can send them to Knit For Peace.

It'll make you feel good though

I just do not see the point of buying crap like that. Yes, they are quite cute. So put a photo of them on your phone and look at it.

You don't need to own them. The space they would take up is worth more.

I buy basically very little. I don't think it is nirvana but it is definitely cheaper.

Yes, I have. I mostly spend on experiences now. Not having much space and moving a fair bit helps. Soft toys don't interest me anyway. My vice is books.

When I had the realisation standing in a huge department store that everything I was looking at would end up in landfill one day.