consumer.jpgToday I wound up at consumer world and Christian consumer world ie. Forest Hill Chase (Shopping Centre/Mall) and Koorong (Christian bookstore). Sales were everywhere.

I kind of sometimes don’t see the relevance of a Sale. Nor the relevance of ‘special offers’ I am very, very inclined to be suspicious.

Although bought up to be somewhat of a, ‘go the extra mile for the better value/cost’, it has kind of come hand in hand with (on one end) – if it’s cheap it’s worth getting. My very Dutch-Aussie stinginess counteracts this most of the time, along with my general critical attitude towards admitting that advertising sometimes actually affects me, but there’s often the thought there.

I am – to give you some context – reading No Logo by Naomi Klein at the moment and it is fairly engrossing (might I add utterly fascinating) as well as fairly direct. I shall definitely share more when I plough beyond the first chapter.

The other thing, ‘for sale’ that I/We’ve been looking at the moment are houses. That saying, we aren’t after buying just yet, we are going to rent (Geoff and I when we get married). Rent money is dead money? Yay, nay. We’re not 100% sure we want to spend the rest of our life in the Eastern suburbs and so don’t intend to commit that fully nor want the hassle of later having to sell.

The real-estate institution amuses me no end. It is almost advertising at it’s lying worst. That is perhaps a fraction harsh, however if I could have things my way every advertisement would have the price and a detailed visual (non doctored photos) of every room in the house.

I have no idea what this has to do with sales. I think it is my slightly sleepy brain trying to make an intersection or a road smash between two things in my day.

Meanwhile, lets keep the rain coming down (along with the tree’s in Lilydale) and mosey off into the land of sleep where sales are irrelevant and the world is your oyster and not the house you rent.

But If I was to go off and think more about things I would follow this path:

  • What is value, why do we put value on things, how relevant is value? What is value in it’s proper place and perspective?
  • How much does ‘long term’ play into what we do with money? How often do we follow trends and what is traditionally appropriate?
  • Why don’t I go and treat myself/others more? What is holding me back from spluging now and then in a good and appropriate way and not in a consumeristic loser way?

image credit fotosearch

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