Contents
Like for every blog post, firstly please be sure to read blog info to understand my blog.
⏱️Overview
In this post I’ll discuss buying as the commercial world’s addiction and give my advice on how to buy rationally.
🗺️Topics
🛍️Consumerism
It’s crystal clear for me that the current world’s commercial addiction (consumerism) is way too high. There are countless shopping malls🛒, centers, etc. They’re getting bigger, more fancy, annoying and addicting, more Earth unfriendly and resource wasting. I mean the garbage produced on Earth is even noticeable from space now, in many places.
In addition anyone may start a business and sell almost anything. There are plenty of garbage items on big auction websites (e.g. aliexpress and similar) and smaller (likely in every country).
🔨Planned obsolescence
Sadly no company makes things that last for long anymore. Most are even specifically made to break just after warranty time (more info here: planned obsolescence). Here a video about Apple, which is notorious for using many such practices, of course done on purpose to maximize profits.
Why? Sadly because “f@ck you all, we need profits” is companies only interest. This goes also on such scale that it effects whole humanity and Earth. Yet it will continue as long it makes profit and enough people support its existence.
🏭Corporations
Companies (corporations) act as psychopaths (movie explaining this) with disregard to humanity, law, resources, workers and Earth, they also (in newer movie): lie, manipulate, falsify, addict, etc. about really anything they do, to maximize their profits. I wrote more from those 2 documentaries in human stupidity page’s section.
👉Approach
I think this should motivate us more to see buying (even if only a bit) more as a last resort action, not just a regular, normal daily thing to do. Or at least something to think through more, not just accept without caring about whole world’s consequences of careless buying.
So if buying can’t be avoided, at least it should (always) be done reasonably and thoughtfully, not careless and routinely.
❔Questions
This is likely the main part of this page with my advice (and few examples too).
The key questions (for me) to ask before buying something are:
- Do I need it?
This is the most important, first question.
A question which no seller will ask you ever. Clearly any who did would be fired, as it hurts the business. - Do I need to buy it?
Is it possible to use or fix something I already have instead?
Or could I maybe create something myself with same purpose/functionality?
Surely it is more time consuming, needs effort, takes longer to finish, and is likely more costly too. But this way we learn and can fix it, modify, or extend later. - Do I need to buy a new product or would a used one be cheaper and/or better?
Problem with new ones is their price drops a lot when they become used. They are quite overpriced, because everyone needs a cut of profit there.
Some new products are too cheaply made and old ones made were of better quality.
New products have a lot of unneeded fancy features just to boost price and bring more profits. - What are the key parameters and which are needed for me?
BTW. which don’t matter and are artificially made, e.g. to justify emotional buying (like in fashion) with stupid planned obsolescence tactic?
E.g. for TV/monitors, size isn’t that important, resolution is, then color representation, etc. - What price is okay for what I want?
It may sound simple, but surely there is effort made to make it confusing. There are too cheap products, just barely made to look and function, but either will break soon (can even during transport) or are so cheap that they make you buy again with more cost.
Clearly even if so, the purpose of such garbage, too cheap item is done, if you can’t return it for free (or cheap too). It was only meant to be made cheaply, sold for profit. Even if it was a lie to begin with, so often seen by me with long, excessive descriptions of what an amazing thing it is or stupid manipulated images of a product in various places, where I see it isn’t even there, it’s image was just pasted on a background image.
There are also way too expensive items. Where the cost is much higher than what you get for it.
So the goal is the middle usually, where cost per performance or quality (or other key feature) is optimal (lowest), i.e. it’s not overpriced or too cheap. - What products (not companies) are the best ones currently?
Companies create new products yearly and constantly. It’s their business and by making more choices, they can earn more from people’s emotions, naivety or lack of knowledge.
It’s why it is so important to not stick to one brand. That’s just what they want us to do so badly with ads, commercials, logos, etc. - Which are most cost efficient? Considering best price for quality ratio.
E.g. fuel economy for (old combustion engine) cars etc.
For CPUs/GPUs that is cost per performance. I.e. price per benchmark points (performance test result value). E.g. website for CPUs, for GPUs. - (Optional) How to repair it later? If possible at all, and not consumable of course.
I’d rather buy 1 product made every 5 to 10 years, with parts to replace. Parts available and continued for that time too. E.g. Fairphone is one such company for smartphones. Sadly the cost of fairly producing a smartphone is much higher than the cheapest commercial deals with brand software, bloatware, annoying setup, ads/commercials, etc. - What are user comments saying about the product? Possibly with user made pictures of the product.
Those are very important to me. Especially the bad comments, which can reveal hidden product flaw(s), annoying functionality, breaking parts, and even more details.
This is the way to get over the product or brand hype, etc. Only real (and intelligent) people (after using for a while) can tell if a product is good, well made and working properly for years. - Where can I buy finally chosen product at lowest price?
For used ones in auctions it may require checking few models (not just one if rare), waiting longer to get one or checking those which get available. In the end it takes longer to buy, but it is definitely cheaper, a bit more stressful, but more rewarding. It also can have the benefit of meeting a human seller who used the thing and knows it in practice. - How to return it?
There are a few things that can happen. E.g. you get a damaged product, or you test it and don’t like it, or you suddenly don’t need it or realized a better one. Whatever the case, even if rare, I say we need to know how to return a product before buying.
Here also comes the benefit of buying (locally) new things, on auctions. I’m not sure how common it is, but for me I see mostly that I can return it either for free (I also have free shipping for a yearly cost) or at the cost of shipping. I’ve seen already few, too many, people in comment writing it was bad, but they had no time to return or such nonsense. Clearly still a profit for a company just a bit worse if with a negative comment, but not all even do that.
⌛Conclusion
So yes, that’s a lot of info to get, before buying. And surely it takes time to buy rationally for me. I think for smaller or cheaper items I don’t even spend time for most.
I value highly people’s ratings and comments especially negative ones for products. Because they often reveal product flaws simply even disqualifying them for me. And with rating I can filter out all those stupid products that don’t even serve its purpose (well enough).
But for long lasting things (like PC parts) I can spend days before buying. Surely if I’m buying e.g. tea or food, which I’ve already done before and know it, and see the price is still same, after I first determined it to be best, then it’s a quick choice to buy again. Once a while though it’d be good to consider if it’s not an addiction or if there is some even better alternative. E.g. buying it through internet instead of in grocery shop, to have it delivered without effort or have much better price and variety.
🤝Selling
Well selling is basically the opposite of buying. And it is an equally important thing to do.
I could say the more I buy the less I sell, meaning I’m more addicted to buying.
The best way for lasting products, would probably be selling old one or something else first, then buying a new one. But how often that happens.
There are few (mostly bad) alternatives to selling like:
- Donating (to someone who needs).
Well a good thing, but clearly while loosing any money (that could be got back if sold).
Still, sometimes the fastest way, and with respect to others who need it.
I think popular with many clothing items (due to fashion and over producing, True Cost). - Giving away to someone, like a relative.
Many times I seen it in family by parents and older people. It was due to lack of ability to sell things. - Throwing away.
Another way, rather fast one, to get rid of old/unneeded products, without getting any money back. Clearly the worst, loosing money, parts, disrespecting Earth. Unless it’s e.g. food gone bad thrown into compost. - Braking or destroying.
Clearly the stupidest thing to do, yet still seen. Some even on videos. It is definitely a lack of respect for the effort needed to create products, and also a way to disable any reusability of products or their parts.
Selling does need some skills and time to learn.
⚠️Warning: Construction 🚧
🧰Do it yourself (DIY)
🛠️About
For me one of worst things I can do is buy something. But clearly some inventions aren’t possible to do yourself. Or not completely, i.e. they still require parts to buy or materials and tools.
Doing everything yourself would need a lot of time too. Even a lifetime. Although it is possible by free people living in jungles, people living by themself (centuries ago), possibly sustainable farmers, and other very rare cases nowadays.
I write about the do it yourself approach (DIY) in next chapter. For me it was always important. Mainly for software (programs etc), hardware (keyboards, electronics), etc. But it can go far even into building a house.
🤔Reasons
There are several reasons why DIY or product modifications are IMHO very needed and the best approach:
- Firstly, there is no such thing as a product that has all features / properties that I need, with proper control and interface (knobs, convenient buttons, menu, etc). This can only be achieved by modifying or developing it myself, according to my current needs.
I now see all electronics products just as ingredients for further modification. Ideally I would create one from start, but can be too much time and effort spent. - Secondly, I am an anti-consumer, I usually hate buying. It needs a lot of time for research, to find a product that is closest to: not a hoax/hype, reliable, functional, fair-priced, still cheap, durable (will work for long), allows repairs, looks okay, black, etc. (all at once; add needed, strike out not needed😄). On top of that I don’t like spending money (I like saving it) to support companies, which constantly produce (soon-to-be) garbage on purpose.
- Reusable. Many parts in few of my projects, lasted for more than one project. They were reused. E.g. when I start a project I can reuse parts from other past projects, like MCU board, display, switches, even universal PCB or wires. I’m sure for people DIY making stuff e.g. from wood, for house, boat, van, etc. this can also be true, some materials last for long.
It is a way more reasonable approach than mass producing soon to be garbage products (like fast fashion cloths, smartphones, etc.). - Lastly, it is a fun and easy hobby that grants better, more customized products for daily use. Many times now, allowing me to have features or functionalities that aren’t available at all. And I’m not adding yet here, because most likely they may never be available. Simplicity and low cost are driving factors for mass producing (stupid items), not: feature fullness, repairability, open source, customizability, etc.
🪟My DIY examples
From my projects, here are lots of examples for DIY wins:
- 📻Kitchen HiFi.
First major in 2020, then 2023 and 2026.
This was a cassette player from 1997. I basically modified it ever since. Was likely the first product I did and I’m still going to. - ⌨️Keyboards, my firmware (latest 2020, previous 2018, oldest 2005, keys mod).
Honestly the number of features on screen with my keyboard is just way higher than any commercial product. It is also easier for me to use. - 🖱️Mouse 2026
- 💧PC water cooling 2026 and previous until 2022. Fan controller 2021.
Surely there isn’t too much we can do to build a PC. For me buying a console (or even a laptop or smartphone) is the worst.
OFC we can’t produce CPU, GPU or chips ourself, that’s one reason for chip factories and electronics industry.
But definitely putting a PC from parts was always for me the best approach.
And the way to cool a PC is something for DIY too. Instead of so many stupid overpriced PC mods (like RGB fans, fancy PC cases, too expensive WC solutions), etc.
OFC if you’re into PC with lights or such it’s also something that can be done DIY way (e.g. with a MCU and WS2812B LEDs). - 📖Double Commander fork 2019. A PC program that I use always daily. Didn’t have few things I needed and I had to do them. It could be hard to convince original developers to add something I only find useful, and there’s no need to.
Color center 2017, a tool program made just for managing my coloring list and helping me transition them easier from the worse Total Commander. - ▶️Original: cAmp audio player 2020 (older 2009), so old now, yet it’s still for me the (daily used) program that nobody else could do the way I did, I had to do it my way, quite early in life. Even one feature (of like 10) isn’t done elsewhere (like filtering, rating, bookmarks, or time display).
- 📁Build Console (useful tool I made at work) 2017, few people at work used it too. I’m sure large companies wouldn’t even allow spending work time by employees creating work tools. Employees convenience (or anything for them really) etc. is not their profit, just a waste.
- 🎛️SXIV 2002 my old music tracker program, was a free alternative to any commercial one. Was limited, but surely way more convenient to use and better looking, than any other made.
- even more in projects …