Spend or save the planet?

Ifeel like I am trapped. Trapped between people wanting to sell me things and people who really do not want me to buy things, but still want my money. swear, by the end of the weekend I thought I was going to burst if I got one more email, flyer or promo pushing Black Friday sales stuff at me.

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit, though, that it was working. I was seriously convincing myself I needed a new bed, a flight somewhere, another dress, glassware and a bread maker.

To be fair, part of the sales strategy is to overwhelm us with offers. Thousands of companies fling ‘‘buy now’’ and ‘‘one day only’’ promotions at us to create panic-buying and fear-of-missing-out emotions. Once they’ve triggered our insecurities, they’re in for the kill, persuading us to buy things we later realise we probably didn’t really need.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the fence, I was becoming increasingly guilt-ridden by the deluge of socialmedia posts telling me not to buy stuff but to give to charity instead.

Then another take on things appeared; companies telling me that if I bought their stuff as part of a Black Friday sale deal they would give some of the purchase price to charity.

This battle between consumerism and giving to charities is not going to stop.

Charities are getting smarter and more savvy at using retail marketing techniques to get through to us so we part with our money; and they have right on their side, of course.

Amonth ago, on my birthday, I got a message from Facebook telling me that I shouldn’t covet birthday presents, but give to charity instead. It then offered me a list of charities I could easily donate to. I wonder how much those charities paid to be on that promoted list?

So, with Christmas rapidly approaching, I’m going to have to work out my response to this dilemma between sustainable, eco and charitable versus consumerist.

On one level it’s not a hard decision to make: save the planet, do the right thing, give to people in need.

On the other side there’s my inner child, the part of me which enjoys getting presents, searching for the ideal gift for someone and the pleasure of giving.

But I know I really don’t need more stuff and neither do most of the people I know, including the children.

Almost everyone I’ve talked to already has in place some kind of excess-limiting agreement around gift-giving at Christmas.

There’s $10 or $20 cash limit; the Secret Santa-type approach; there are those who do only make-your-own presents; and there are home-made tokens, where you promise to make ameal, do an hour of house work, weed the garden for Aunty Lou or Granny.

As Black Friday and Christmas are upon us, it does seem a good time to take stock and have a think about the bestway to spend our dollars.

I’m all for getting a present at Christmas, but I probably don’t need five and my charities of choice are certainly not The Warehouse, Briscoes or Whitcoulls, even though I know it’s the time of the year they make hay, retail style.

So, I’ll have to have a stern chat to my inner child who would normally be writing to Santa about now.

I might even get into the kitchen and start cooking up some coconut ice and fudge, or making homemade bath salts. Watch out, family – you’ve been warned.