There is a sad reality regarding the American psyche, and that is that we tend to put too much emphasis on materialism and collecting stuff we often never use. And one of the reasons why we are now entering into a state of high inflation is because our addiction to consumerism is finally meeting the reality of shorter supplies.
However this doesn't have to be altogether the case because in fact we have plenty of things we could spend our money on without relying upon 'Just in Time' deliveries and disruptions in foreign supply chains. Additionally, there are unlimited items across the country we have access to with just a little bit of effort, and ironically, at even lower costs than we could ever imagine.
A recent survey out shows that 11.5... nearly 12% of families don't expect to spend anything on Christmas gifts this year.
11.5% of Households do not plan to buy holiday gifts, more than twice the normal
Which while quite unfortunate for retailers, isn't actually necessary for American families. Why? Because America is so inundated with STUFF that we could likely go a decade simply buying or recycling almost new and unused furniture, clothing, and electronics that people bought but rarely used.
For example I purchased a new (for me) leather recliner last summer for about $250. At retail it likely went for over $800 to $1000, yet when I bought it there were zero blemishes and for all intent and purposes zero wear on it at all. So how did I buy it for such a low price? I shopped at a local Estate store that buys and consigns goods and furniture from the deceased or retired.
So with this in mind, what are the chances that a parent or parents could spend just $50 to $100 buying their children (and spouses) multiple Christmas gifts, all at or in nearly perfect condition, while at the same time helping their neighbors and communities get a little extra coin in the process?
Very high I would say, and thus welcome to the world of today's Garage and Yard sale environment.
