As with many aspects of our financial lives and spending habits, most of our money choices are influenced by society. There are constantly underlying pressures on us to keep up with what everyone else is buying. The root of this pressure and our resulting obedience is pride. We do not want to seem strange, backwards or poverty stricken. This is very easily seen in the brand vs. no brand debate.
Everything from cola to clothing is categorized into name brands and non-name brands. Making the choice between name brand and non-name brand is not as easy as just assuming that you should always buy the cheaper version, though. If you are reinventing your finances and trying to stick to a careful budget as part of your Christian debt relief program, you must consider that quality is an important factor when you are shopping. If you cheap out on a purchase only to find out later that the item was not of good quality, you will wind up spending even more money to replace it or repair it. So some thought and planning ahead come into play here. You can only control your finances when you plan ahead and spend thoughtfully.
Clothing
Clothing is a big consideration in the brand name debate. The issue of name brand clothing has a lot more to do with social status than it does with quality. People are proud of their labels. The best way to determine the wise choice as it pertains to clothing is to pinpoint your motives. Are you buying expensive jeans because you really, honestly know for a fact that these are quality jeans that will last a really long time, or are you just buying them because other people buy them and you want people to see the name on back? Your motives behind your spending are very important. Your spending motives can make or break your most carefully laid financial plans. The great thing about clothing is that if you shop thrift and consignment shops you can usually get name brands for a fraction of their regular price. Again, pride has to take a back seat to practicality, though.
Shoes
Shoes are one area in which you often find, especially if you have young, active children, that forking over the extra money for name brand shoes might be the better investment. Name brand shoes are generally made better and use longer lasting material, like real leather. Children beat up their shoes so badly, that often times buying shoes at thrift shops is not practical. By the time the shoes reach the Goodwill they are pretty much wasted. If spending an extra twenty dollars means the shoes will last an extra six to twelve months, then that is wise. Again watch your motives. Buy because of the quality, not because of the name.
Food
This is where most folks get tricked by the marketing villains. Off brand food is required by law to be of the same quality as name brand food. Therefore, you can’t argue that name brand is better quality. However, our subconscious will often play tricks on us and tell us that the name brand just tastes better. If there is a certain product that you just can’t stomach in an off brand that is understandable, however, do not go across the board and let your taste buds demand you buy name brand. Pick a few items each week to try in off brand. Within a month you will have changed your entire grocery list and will have begun to save quite a bit.
Other Stuff
When purchasing bigger items like electronics, appliances or furniture, take the time to research different name brands. Most importantly read reviews. Websites like Amazon will post honest reviews of almost every product they have listed. Even if you are not purchasing from the site, use the reviews listed under the product you are interested in to help you make your choice. Using sites like Consumer Reports can also help you understand the true quality of an item based on testing and consumer reviews. This is a great tool for larger purchases which you would consider an investment and you would like to see last for a good, long while.
You just need to rethink your definition of what a party or big event is. If in your past you could not have a party without expensive decorations and professionally catered food, then you must stop and re-evaluate. Most of these ideas are based on pride anyway. Many money troubles stem from a sense of pride and an un-Christ like desire to make people think highly of us. If you are throwing a party or hosting a big event for someone the event is not about you. It is about the person celebrating the milestone. Remember that your loved ones will be touched by your efforts not by how much you spend.
