Overconsumption is Keeping You Stuck (and Broke)

Ever wonder why your bank account looks like a sieve, no matter how hard you work? Society has wired us to think the next purchase is the answer, but it's really the problem.

I’ve been thinking about how we’ve become a wasteful society. How we’ve forgotten to care, to reuse, to repurpose. Rather than to look at what we already have available, we’re living in a wasteful and obsessional time, where the next dopamine hit can only come from the next thing…

Stressed? Buy this course, and boom of course— your mental health will be fixed.

Unhappy? Make more money with this scheme! Then upgrade to the newest phone, for even more ways to scroll your feelings away.

Need a hand? Sure thing—but it’s gonna cost you.

One minute you’re researching and splurging on things that promise to “fix” your life. The next, you’re looking at your bank account feeling like Annie in economy class;

The current system thrives on the promise of ‘freedom’ via individualism. Leading to not only lonely but expensive lifestyles.

Overconsumption is sold to us as the answer to our problems, but instead of freeing us, it traps us in an endless cycle of buying and spending.

Overconsumption is that sneaky little voice whispering, “Just one more thing, and you’ll be happy.” It’s the idea that if we just buy enough, upgrade enough, or achieve enough, the void inside will magically disappear.

Spoiler alert: it never does. Instead, we end up with more stuff, more stress, and less clarity. It’s the ultimate treadmill trap. Running fast and getting nowhere.

Its not until you finally step off that hamster wheel of consumption, you realise there’s a whole world waiting to be discovered beyond your Amazon wish list.

How many hours of your life are you spending to afford things you don’t need?

Though it’s sold to us through every advert, social media post, and well-meaning suggestion from friends or family. “Just try this new thing, and you’ll feel better.” 

Your power is in saying enough to overconsumption.

And yes to simplicity.

Overconsumption is not just about buying things, it’s about believing that the solution to every problem lies outside of us.

When I ditched the 9-5 grind for example, and solo travelled with my backpack, I had to unpack all the sh*t I had been carrying around not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally.

I learned that having less gave me more.

You don’t need that new course, money making scheme, new phone, or to pay extortionate amounts for support/help.

You need to look at what you already have. Right now.

And start letting go of some ish.

So you can start to feel lighter.

A quick story… A free mattress, a coffee table and a strengthened bond

I recently returned to London and I've been looking for a new mattress. Yesterday, I found the perfect 2nd hand one on my favourite app- Olio. Just a 15 minute walk away. The owner had used it for under a year and was giving away the £300 pocket-sprung hybrid for free as they were leaving England.

But when I got there and loved it, I remembered I needed to find a way of moving it a 2-minute drive back to mine. How was I gonna avoid embarrassingly dragging or balancing a double mattress on my head? - I needed a lift.

I sat on the garden wall, scrolling through my phone thinking who might be able to help me. I looked on Addison Lee’s courier app, which was charging, wait for it….

£35 for a 2-minute drive!!!! Ah beg ya pardon?

Individualism is expensive.

It convinces us that every solution comes with a hefty price tag.

Booking the Addison Lee would have been the fastest, most convenient way of transporting my new bed… And would keep me in the cycle of spending.

Instead found a number in my phone. The grandson of an old neighbour who I knew had a van. I almost gave up when my WhatsApp message didn’t go through. But I picked up my phone and he answered a call from me. “No problem babe” he said and in a few minutes he drove round to pick up me and my new bed.

Better yet, he also found a coffee table at the property which was perfect gift for his wife’s new study in their house!

All for free…

Go ahead and let the monkey mind whine- “Well the petrol wasn’t free for him!”

A free coffee table for a 2-minute drive + access to more work with me, not a bad energy exchange I’d argue…

Community is where kindness thrives and how we learn to escape the cycle of spending.

Consumerism vs Community

Consumerism lures us into isolation, whispering that the next purchase will fix us.

The secret is this: freedom and joy are found in community, not in clutter. Nor in ownership, greed or hoarding.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned while navigating a life of minimalism and slow living is that no matter how much stuff I let go of, the real magic happens when I turn to my community.

Letting go of the physical clutter and the pressures to keep buying, was my real freedom.

Freedom isn’t something you can buy, but it’s something you can create. 

It’s found in connection, in community, and in stripping away the excess so that the real essentials can breathe.

Consumerism is all about individualism, but minimalism allows space for connection. You don’t need to go it alone when your most valuable resource is the people around you. Instead of buying your way out, try asking for help, sharing items and resources, or seeking advice from others

Like nature, we thrive as a community.

Ready?

If you’re done with feeling stuck in the rat race and want to explore a life that’s aligned with your values, I wanna hear from you. I know first-hand how challenging it can be to break away from overconsumption and create space for the things that truly matter.

I’m offering a free call where you can pick my brain on anything from minimalism and decluttering to planning your slow travel adventures. Whether you’re dreaming of leaving behind a life of excess or plotting your next big escape, I’m here to support you in making it happen.

Let’s connect, take the first step towards a life with more space for joy, and start building your simple life—without the weight of more stuff holding you down.

That’s it for today friends, if you want to know more please contact me here- to get started and potentially working together. Otherwise, to learn more about my work or to book time with me, feel free to drop me an email or a message on Linkedin