Another good method is to not buy anything or set anything up or whatever if it requires an additional action. The liklihood of you taking that action is slim to none. Example: you buy an awesome nightstand that would be awesome with a fresh coat of paint for $40 at a garage sale. Reality: You don't paint it and now you have a worthless ugly nightstand that you will neither use, paint, or sell. Yes the nightstand was only $40. But you would actually be better off spending $60 or even $80 for a nightstand that you get use out of. If you buy it, make sure to stop at Home Depot on the way home, buy the paint, and paint it before the days end. That is the only way this situation would work. Example: You clean your room and make big plans for getting shelves and putting all your little trinkets and knick knacks on them. Until then, you now have a fat pile of trinkets with no home needlessly cluttering your desk or bed or whatever. Only do and buy things that you can actually use TODAY without further action, unless you are a sincerely dedicated person who actually paints things. A good deal isn't a good deal if you never use the thing. Similarly, just make changes to your room after you buy the shelf, not before.
This hits home for me. I have been an avid impulsive buyer in the past. And just asking myself 'Will I have any use of it a few years from now?' Has really helped me cut down on my buys. Like the article states, it is so easy to get suckered into buying things for the life you want versus your current needs. The whole marketing scheme has shifted from ' here, use this useful thing that you can pass down to grandkids' to ' easy disposable thing that'll make life easier/fun'.
I've been implementing this idea mostly success for he past 5-6 years. I like that the piece mentioned investing in another's idea of your reality (marketing) vs investing the actualization of your own reality (acquiring that which fits.)
I'm pretty good about not doing this though. If I buy something, I generally use it, with the exception of sunglasses. I never look right in sunglasses. I find it very difficult to find a pair that a month after purchase I'm still comfortable wearing outside of my car. I also can't wear hats. I just look odd.An architect I once worked with explained to me that a lot of American buying (and marketing) is aspirational: you buy things not for the life you actually have, but for the life you want to have.
-My guess is that the overwhelming purchase of work-out equipment, gym memberships etc. fall in to this category and never get used.