How the Commercial Industry Influences Money Habits

Habits: not the one worn by nuns, the spending habits we do every day. Why are they so hard to break? People encounter commercialism early in life, shaping their consumer habits. And when we raise our families, they grow to be consumers just like us. The Webster dictionary defines a consumer as one that utilizes economic goods. Due to the abundance of advertisements and an excess of choices, individuals often experience feelings of overwhelm, which can result in purchasing additional products and goods as a means of alleviating this anxiety.

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As resources decrease and durable goods become scarce, we end up buying more. In industry the word commercial has become synonymous with consumers, and they strategize to get the most bang for their buck when targeting the market.

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Bring in the Marketers

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They know us better then we know ourselves because they have molded the perfect consumer. People encounter approximately 3,000 marketing messages each day. And they have made it possible for us to pay for not receiving ads and messages all day but that does not stop the marketers.

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Advertisers soften the appeal of younger audiences to rope them in, forming the next generation of consumers. What used to be even between advertising and upbringing has now become dangerously one-sided. Guess who is winning? That is right, the commercials and corporations.

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Think about years ago. We used to take our own food to school. Now teachers are feeding students and news celebrities are having school supply drives for the less fortunate in our communities. Mom may get her nails done and dad can get his sports channels. Or any number of daily activities designed to catch the consumer to spend their money. Take grocery stores for example, things change aisles on a rotating basis – this is so you can search for the item you need and impulse buy on your way. Where do they put the milk? That is right! In the back of the store!

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We get ads on our phones, computers, TVs, billboards, and weekly store fliers invading our privacy daily. And ads are tucked into books, shown in movie theaters, displayed on giant screens at sport events, projected from subway monitors, pumped into doctors' reception rooms, posted in public restrooms, inscribed on clothes, embedded in arcade games, zapped through fax machines, and emblazoned (thanks to food dyes) on hot dogs.

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The Commercialism Octopus

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Think of commercialism as an octopus with its tentacles wrapped around even our cultural institutions ranging from minority groups to even the local art museum. This exploits the exploited, alcohol and tobacco marketers capture the minority world. They dominate the inner cities by pouring misery money into minority media and dominating the billboards people see daily. Meanwhile, college and high-school coaches sometimes serve with or without realizing as “consultants” for shoe companies and sporting goods. The payoff to the companies is having top teams wearing their brand of costly sneakers and getting consumers to want what they have.

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How do we combat this media malfunction to our financial plans? With today's marketers promoting artificial wants that promote the urge for ceaseless spending, in every facet of our lives we must take control of our own personal money and starts with that 6-letter word, “Budget” and change habits. Sounds easy, right? Have you tried to break a habit? Some were easy, other people die trying. Budgeting allows you to have eyes on your plan and actions make things happen.

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Being frugal was a word my parents used often. It also became an essential component of the lifestyle to those that lived through the Great Depression. Yet ever since World War II we have allowed businesses to make ‘exclusive words” for all. Rampant commercialism undermines much more than our health and environment; it takes a toll on our psychological well-being. Currently, advertising purposefully promotes envy, creates anxiety, and fosters insecurity. The sad part is crime increases by people just wanting to walk in others $200 name-brand sneakers.

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Taking Control

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Once we take control of our habits and have a written plan, we can tackle the bigger picture of our financial future. Coping with commercialism requires tough choices while building a budget, but it is a necessity needed if you are to combat the rising prices on our doorsteps today.

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Selling things in the marketplace, secondhand shops or garage sales helps to pay off debt and it has a bonus of decluttering your space while filling your pocket with needed cash. Reconsidering our priorities and then acting is the only way we can influence change. We can help protect the environment, promote health, educate young people, and support those in need. People should save more for the future. When we do not demand the product, production slows. When we eat balanced meals at home chains get less drive through time. When we watch local tv and get away from the 1000s of channels with nothing to watch the demand slumps, and our pocketbook grows.

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Find a Professional Who Can Help

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Financial Counselors and coaches have made their life work to educate the consumer and help them realize that just because an actor says it is what you need the ultimate decision is yours to make. The banks want you to have credit because the advertisers have things to sell you but what they neglected to add is you will never get out of debt on minimum payments, and they just raise interest rates to balance corporate bonuses. You work hard for your money and seeking financial guidance is a short-term help getting your plan in place. Making informed decisions last a lifetime instead of instant gratification or someone telling you that it is a need when we all know they just want our money.

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As a financial counselor, I only want all my clients to financially succeed and live the American dream while relieving the stressful burden commerce has created. It is possible and has been time tested for people to reach financial goals, and the majority get there faster with the guidance of a financial counselor or coach to ask the questions and assess each situation with you. Anyone can call themselves a coach and in retrospect few have professional certifications or licenses – make sure you vet whoever you will be working with to ensure they fit your financial needs.

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Get the Right Tool

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I used to do my zero-based budget using excel and set up my reports in access (I started on Lotus 1, 2, 3 and DBASE). Each payday I would go to the bank and withdrew all the cash I needed and physically place it in the respective envelopes for use such as gas, food, allowances, and babysitter. It was a great beginning, but overtime fell off the wagon because it was time consuming. I always kept the excel spreadsheet, but I stopped analyzing my daily expenses, finding I was not saving as much. When I started working in MyBudgetCoach I found it easy to use and it allowed me to better analyze the spends got me back on the savings wagon!

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In my 40+ years in the financial industry and personally budgeting for my own family found MyBudgetCoach.com the best product to date.  The developers listen to customers about what they want to see and find ways to improve their experience. You can say as money exchanges MBC evolves to better meet our needs.

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With MyBudgetCoach there is a 35-day free trial because we want you to love the ease of budgeting. Your coach is available to respond to inquiries and offer guidance via messaging at no extra cost. A video call may be arranged if necessary.    

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As a financial counselor, I also need to budget, and I can confidently say this platform is highly effective for anyone to manage their money. With MyBudgetCoach, you choose a coach who fits your needs as you take control of your budget to manage your personal finances.

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The time is now to fall in love with budgeting to change those consumer habits by taking charge of your money and telling it how it will work for you while quieting the noise of the commercial industry who is currently in control of many. Visit my webpage to learn more ways you can relax more as you continue “Dealing With Dollars” to your financial independence.

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Happy budgeting and remember, you never walk alone with a coach ready to guide!