Tuesday, January 20, 2009
BE CAREFUL WITH PLASTIC...
Are you a shopaholic? Or more likely a collectorholic? Scientists have been doing tests to find out what makes us spend money. Beware. We buy more if we use a credit card or are unhappy. The insula, the area of our brains that registers negative feelings like bad smells, becomes more active when we use cash. There is no negative emotion when we use plastic. The insula also registers disgust when we think a purchase is too expensive. But we tend to ignore negative feelings when we're unhappyand then we tend to overpay. So go to your next antiques show with a friend who makes you happy and a bundle of twenties. And find the perfect antique at a bargain price.
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6 comments:
Thanks for the reminder. After 6 weeks on e-bay, I've decided to give it a rest. In the real world (when I shop) I go into a store and get what I need...on e-bay, I tend to "cruise" for "neat things".
Thank you for the Reality Check.
I work at a Colorado University. The credit card salesmen line up at the University Center and hand out credit cards like candy bars. They entice the students with promising that it will help build their credit rating or a free cup of Starbucks. One student employee told he had a $21.000 debt and all he had to show for it was a lot of empty pizza boxes. Parents please teach your children to be responsible with "plastic"...It would hurt to practice being responsible yourself.
hehe! I did exactly that for the LB swap meet last Sunday--tried to buy two items , got a lovely discounted price and THEN found flaws in both...saving $20 each time... thanx for the reminder/tip, though!!
I loved this - hope you don't mind that I quote you. I am a collectorholic but being a senior citizen, I am now trying to shed most all of it and it is a chore but doing something like selling does keep the ole gray matter lubed and responsive. Thanks for all your info. Visit & enjoy my blog: http://supergrannysmusings.blogspot.com/
Thanx! I needed this reminder - since I'm going to a show next week!!!
scientists have long known that the limbic area of the brain (a primitive system associated with emotions and the fight/flight response) lights up when we buy anything due to the generation of endorphins which are brain chemicals that make us feel elated. the more unhappy we are, the more likely we are to achieve temporary relief by buying things - it doesn't even matter what. so you will find depressed and unhappy people buying again, and again, and again in their effort to maintain that temporary high. i am wondering how much of a difference in endorphin levels there would be between using plastic vs. an online purchase - where one does not handle anything - vs. cash. those unhappy campers would actually be better off getting their sleep in order as insufficient, or bad, sleep depresses the normal activity of the brain.
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