From Black Friday Sale to an Unexpected Reflection

I was scrolling through some research papers and the moment I landed on Google, big pop-ups screaming Black Friday sales and Cyber Monday deals started flashing. Call it my curiosity or excitement, I clicked on the links and there it was, the favorite text for every shopaholic: 65 percent off, 30 percent off, buy one get one free and countless other offers that seemed too good to be real.

Then came the endless scrolling, hopping from one site to another, comparing deals and checking prices. I mean, who does not want a good bargain. My carts were full with watches, perfumes, skincare I probably would not use, clothes I might wear once and accessories that are already overflowing in my boxes. Just because something worth seven thousand was available for three thousand, my mind convinced me that these were necessities I never knew existed until yesterday.

As I finalized my list, I went into an unexpected spiral of deep thinking. Do not ask me how it began, but it did. The interrogation started. Did I truly need any of these things? Was I being honest with myself? The answer was clear. I might need one or two items, but the rest were simply products I had added because they were on sale. Everything was removed from the cart. All tabs were closed and I returned to my routine.

This small incident sparked a bit of curiosity that pushed me to write this piece. It is quite clear that wants are almost always bigger than needs. According to a piece written by Mark Banschick on Psychology Today, Oniomania can be viewed as a form of impulse control issue or an obsessive compulsive tendency. It has become a significant concern in society and is now mentioned alongside addictions like alcoholism, eating disorders and substance abuse. I would call what many people experience a partial form of oniomania because it is directly tied to sales. Someone who usually does not overshop suddenly becomes a different person during these discount periods. If you care too much about how others perceive you based on what you wear or carry, it may be time to accept that this perception is not as real as it feels. It is mostly fluff.

A flashy watch or an expensive dress just to fit into some unknown circle rarely holds any real value. I am not questioning the joy of gifting yourself something you love, but I also do not support splurging money without reason. On a daily basis, we genuinely do not need so many things. Careful consideration while buying has become more important than ever. While minimalism and capsule wardrobes are rising in popularity, there is still a huge number of people who continue to shop endlessly. That is exactly why these sales become such massive hits. They trigger overwhelming feelings and a sense of missing out.

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Minimalism revolves around finding the balance between having too much and having too little. It is about living with fewer things without giving up everything. How do you decide what to keep? In my opinion, it is having the things you need along with the things you truly want to own. I know people who wait for these sales because they prefer buying at better prices and that is completely understandable. My concern is only for those who buy simply because the price has dropped. Whether they need it or not becomes a secondary thought, and that defeats the entire purpose of mindful consumption. In the end, it’s not about denying ourselves the joy of buying something new, but about finding that sweet spot where our wants and needs can peacefully coexist. A small pause, a little thought, and suddenly even shopping starts to feel like self-care.

If this topic caught your interest and you made it to the end. Enjoy a YouTube video by Seekersince94 that explains the idea of frugality.