It is impossible to avoid it today - it is Black Friday! Every TV ad, pop up on your screen and mail in your inbox is blasting messages to you about Black Friday sales you know the sort of thing,
UNBEATABLE PRICES
INCREDIBLE VALUE
HUGE DISCOUNTS
OFFERS YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS
These are powerful messages! Imagine in these hard financial times, offers you CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS! But let's stop there for a minute and remember that actually you can! Spending money does not save you money! The marketing around sales is incredibly clever and powered by psychology. Marketers know how to tap into our emotions, and that if they do, we will be convinced that we need or want the product their selling, in fact we can't live without it! So, they sprinkle on some magical sales fairy dust in the form of a percentage discount for a limited period and that object is not only something we need but its scarce! So, we feel compelled if we're not going to miss out, we've got to buy it now! So, BOOM there is it sale made by tapping into our emotions!
It is an uncomfortable truth, but money is an emotional matter, the majority of what we spend is not driven by necessity but instead by our mood and desires. We can experience the full spectrum of emotions in relation to money. Satisfaction when we earn it. Joy when we spend it. Fear we will lose it and shame if we do. Money can cause us stress and anxiety, for those with gambling or shopping addictions it can have serious impacts on livelihoods, relationships and wellbeing.
So how can we counter the clever marketing messages and regain control?
Tune in to your emotions what do you feel when you think about money? Does it fire you up? Get you excited and elated? Or maybe you feel tense, anxious fearful?
Why are you buying? The next time you make a purchase that isn't essentials like food or medicine consider why you are making the purchase. Is the purchase a necessity, something you need? Or simply a want which is fine if you can afford it. Or are you looking for some kind of hit? Do you get a quick buzz or thrill that fades soon after the purchase is made? Perhaps you're looking to give yourself a boost or feel better about something? Would you get just as much of a boost if you saved the money and looked at what you had accumulated instead?
Reflecting on what you feel when spending and why you're doing it can bring a powerful awareness to your shopping habits. Asking yourself these questions could give you greater control of your spending habits even save you some cash!
In all my hypnotherapy sessions I get clients to reframe the situation so here are 3 things to bear in mind and win at the Black Friday mind game!
Based on 2021 prices Which magazine found 98% of Black Friday deals were not worth buying!
If you can afford something and you either need or want it and today it is discounted by 50% then great, you save 50% but if you don't really need it and can't really afford it, you'll waste 100%.
And finally, before clicking check out - check in with your mood. As you need to mind your mood as much as you do your money!
Liz x
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