Saturday, January 3, 2009

Marketing & Convience are the Enemy of Frugality

I was reading a post somewhere recently but I can't remember where and it had so much that I loved in reading it that I wanted to share the "jist" of it here along with some of my thoughts.



It talked about how we, as Americans, are so materialistic, consumeristic and controlled by marketing. Marketing is a multi-billion dollar industry. Every company, indusrty or products needs marketing experts to convince us WE MUST HAVE THIS OR WE WON'T BE.. (Happy, Healthy, Safe) you pick the adjective.



What we fail to realise is you can not BUY a new you! Everyone takes the new year to start to re-build things about them that they don't like (I need a diet, I am too fat, I need a HDTV because TV signals are changing in Feb, I need this vitamin to have more energy) We are all looking for a magic pill. We have all been brainwashed into believing that there is a magic pill to fix us and make us perfect. But in reality, in order to become a better person, to improve our character or have a more spiritual life you have to live it, pray it, study it, and all that you need to do it you probably already have in your house.



There is so much marketing has done to break up the "american family" and many of the traditional values. We have been convinced we do not have any time! But I think we have always had 24 hours in a day- so the time is the same- we have just been convinced otherwise. Woman have been liberated from the kitchen- because food is now "convient"- pre-cooked, pre-made and over processed. But no one know WHAT the heck we are eating. Woman and girls do not know how to cook, even the basics anymore. And if you cook- it is considered "wasting time".



Marketing has convienced us that we do not have time to cook, to sit down as a family and eat dinner together. The marketing has told us convience is key! Here, just microwave this 'stuff', eat it without enjoying the taste, and throw all that packaging into the landfil. Yea America!



$32 billion per year is spent on marketing in the food industry- not on development, safety checks, or the food itself- but on marketing it.. they tell us WHAT to eat and HOW much to eat. Have you even looked at packaging? Many are now bigger but without telling you there are now 2 serving in there! Oh but they'll charge you more- but won't tell you save half for after lunch tomorrow-- no, no, eat it all you piggy and come back tomorrow and buy another bag.



I may seem harsh but as I read into all of this it just makes me angry that I feel like we just don't have a say anymore in what in "normal". I really want to instill in my kids that food is to be enjoyed-- my daughter loves to cook with me- and I am soo happy for that. I don't ever remember cooking with my mom. We sit down to a family dinner every night and for family lunches on the weekends too! We sit and enjoy each other's company and take time to enjoy the food. Kids today have way too many "empty calories"- my kids are no exception. I started in the last year or so to work to show them "real food" vs. "empty food". I would grow my own garden, but I really do have a black thumb- and every attempt I make to grow anything fails.



Our family goal this year is to eat healthier. And by that I do not mean Convience Food good- but really, good- natural, from scratch and if possible- go organic or at least partially organic. I am a product of this marketing- overweight, envious of what I see on TV, eating "supersized" foods, fast food and snack foods. I grew up in it and it did me no favors.



In the article I read it gave an example of how we are "robbed" by marketing. I may not have the prices exact but they are close. It said that a 1 pound bag of oats cost about $.69 for a framer to grow and harvest. This same bag of oats may sell in the store for about $.99/lb. BUT if you take these same oats and you shape them into circles and put them in a yellow box that says Cheerios- you can charge $4.00 for about 12ounces of oats (not even a full pound). Now, if the marketers can convince you that you have no time to sit down with a bowl and milk is so messy-- well , we'll put those oats with some white-stuff - we'll call "milk" and create a cereal bar you can eat in the car. Now,they can charge you $5 for 8 bars which all combined now only have about 6 ounces of actual oats in them and a bunch of over processed stuff they are calling "milk". The more they process the food the more they can charge and the more they can convince us we need this convience the more they will charge. At this point they have even convienced us that a bar takes too long to chew - but a cereal straw (which probably doesn't even have an oat in it and tastes like cardboard) is what your kid MUST HAVE.



Anyway- that post got me thinking and that thinking made me angry but also made me think I am doing the right things to make the most for my kids. We have also been convinced by marketing that we must have 2 incomes to raise a family, when really if you use your money right and you don't fall for the marketing that we must keep up with the Jones'- then you can live quite comfortably with Mom at home to raise the kids and make sure they are eating right, playing outside and not envying the neighbors for whatever they have.



Kids are our future- we have been brain-washed- break the cycle- teach our children to think for themselves and make the right choices for the earth and their own health.

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