Every day, we make our choices with intention; we choose how we want to spend our lunch time and we reluctantly wake up to our alarms at 7:30 every morning because we know it’ll benefit us later. However, when it comes to spending money, that thoughtfulness tends to disappear. If we care so much about where we put our energy, what stops us from caring about where we put our money?
For those of us who can’t engage in elections, this question is more crucial. You may not have a ballot in your hand, but you hold something just as powerful: your wallet. Every dollar spent is a vote for the kind of world you want to live in. Buying cheap products is generally a result of seeking simple pleasures, but when engaging in conveniently cheap or rapid purchases, you’re not just paying for the item, you’re endorsing the entire system behind it. That $4 Shein top traveled thousands of miles on fuel-guzzling cargo ships to make it to you within two days, and it was stitched by a child working in poor conditions. These aren’t complicated issues, rather they’re real consequences that we choose to block from our consciousness because the purchase satisfies an impulse.
Being a conscious spender isn’t always about following strict rules or blatantly depriving yourself, it’s about understanding the domino effect of your choices. Similar to how mindful eating makes you feel better about what you’re putting into your body, mindful spending lets you know what you’re putting into the world. When you care about where your money goes, you spend less impulsively, waste less, and invest in alignment with your values.
Collectively, our generation wields billions of dollars in spending power. Companies know this, that’s why they so persistently chase your attention through your algorithm. It’s why Disney Plus renewed Jimmy Kimmel Live 3 weeks after it was discontinued by Trump, because 3 million people collectively canceled their subscriptions in outrage. Decisions like that do make a difference, and they do have power if you let them; and ultimately, the change you’re making won’t feel impactful if you don’t know why you’re boycotting. Imagine if social media was not used just to follow trends, but dually to demand accountability. If enough people choose their values over the little pleasures, companies will listen. And as it happens, they already are.
Before following a hyperlink on your phone to a product that will conveniently be shipped to your door, consider whether your money is truly worth this temporary pleasure. Your wallet is more than a tool for spending, it’s a means to amplify your values. Every vote spent in dollars has just as much opportunity to shape the world as any election ballot, when considered respective to the system it’s endorsing.
