Avoiding Artificial Tech Deals

Be grateful for the tech you have and mindful of what you really need

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

I'm sitting here writing this on the pseudo-holiday in the United States known as Black Friday. It's a day in which people are given permission to buy things that they may or may not actually need in the name of holiday spirit and capitalism. I'm not here to question holidays or capitalism specifically, but I thought it was worth sending out a quick note to help us come to terms with this constant pressure to purchase electronics and other material items in the coming weeks of the holiday season.

Hopefully, you're even able to find this message in the mess of your inbox on this busiest of email marketing weekends. If you're anything like me, you likely have dozens, maybe hundreds of messages coming in warning you about deals that are expiring or offers that make you feel guilty if you don't take full advantage of them right away. It's a day that can really have you questioning what's really important and what is just a lot of noise.

And who am I to question Black Friday purchases? I've given in to the hot Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals plenty of times in the past. I'm a guy who writes about plenty of superfluous tech products that might be fun to have but certainly aren’t necessities (a robot lawn mower and smart mug are things that come to mind). But this year I'm looking at these deals with a more critical eye. Are they really a good deal if you don't need them? Is the discounted price better than the cost of a lightly used or refurbished model? I'm all in favor of giving new life to previously-purchased items whenever possible. It's good for the environment and good for your wallet at the same time!

There may be a few legitimately good discounts on brands and products that you're already familiar with. If that's the case, then go ahead and make the informed purchase. If you've been putting off the purchase of something like a TV or robot vacuum (both things I acknowledge as important items in the modern connected household) then this weekend will likely offer you the biggest discounts of the season. But if you're just scrolling aimlessly through deal sites, you may want to question if your purchase is actually necessary or just an act of boredom or pressure from the constant marketing barrage that seems to arrive every year at this time.

So as you do your online shopping over the coming weeks, just approach each purchase with the wisdom of an informed digital citizen. Don't fall for every marketing email that comes into your inbox. Don't feel pressured into a purchase with an arbitrary sale deadline (note that the "last chance" to get that deal isn't usually accurate). It's also a great time of year to give thanks for all of the amazing technological luxuries that we already have! If our great-great-grandparents could only see us now! I guess they'd likely be very confused and also think that we're all horrifically lazy, so maybe better that they don't see us now that I think about it.

The end of the year is a great time to assess all of your tech gear to see what may need upgrading in the coming year. Is your laptop on its last legs? Are you constantly having trouble with the wireless connection to your earbuds? Are there things that need cleaning or minor tweaks rather than complete replacements? These are the items that should be on your Black Friday shopping list. Make purchases with intent after actually assessing whether or not they are needed. Don't just buy items that are on sale. Buy items that are on sale and actually fulfill a need for you.

As we come to the conclusion of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I am giving extra thanks to all of the devices, apps, and pieces of technology that have made this past year smoother, safer, and less difficult for me. It may sound a bit odd to thank inanimate objects, but it's a good mental exercise. Let's all have gratitude for the technology that helped get us through the year.

And I'll also close with an extra dose of gratitude for all of you that have read my work and provided support and encouragement in one form or another this year. Thanks for reading this week and every week. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you're in the US and are celebrating) and here's to a more mindful tech shopping season that provides us with everything we need and nothing that we don't.

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Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!

P.S. - Are you looking for a coach? I’m looking to work with some potential new clients and would love to help you out. Are you struggling with screen addiction? Need some help building positive habits or ditching negative ones? Iterating on a new business idea and need some guidance? If you’d like a free 30-minute consultation chat, feel free to book some time with me here!