I’m only really buying comestible goods rn due to income and life stuff but it’s been very refreshing essentially to no-clip out of the consumer matrix. See something cool? No longer have to toil over “do I get it do I spend the money will I use this??” answer is simply No! Same with eating out, I’ll get a frozen Red Baron (best frozen pizza IYKYK) every couple weeks or use a fast food coupon I get in the mail (2/1 blizzards, Arby’s meal deal oh yeah baby) and pay in exact change. Also, like with many things, the less you buy the less you yearn to buy which is a great brain reset. I love stuff and have always loved shopping and thrifting clothes especially but I’m at the point in life where I Have Too Much and need to save for my future needs, not my current wants.
The food and spices I get are my big consumer dopamine hits rn. It’s been fun to go to a bunch of different grocery stores and local markets to find exactly the ingredients I want.
I’ve been using dried fenugreek powder (from the fenugreek seeds) in my paneer makhni and it’s very tasty but just not quite right. I finally got some dried fenugreek leaves / kasuri methi at the local arab market and it completely changed the game on my paneer makhni!! it’s by far the closest to the restaurant version I’ve ever gotten.
I also got really into making stove top popcorn (so easy, cheap, and SO much better!!) and found two heirloom popping corn varieties at the amish market, tiny tender being my favorite but I’m excited to try mushroom (pops only in mushroom shape). Anyway, not everyone is ready to buy less but if you need or want to save money, it’s not as much a scary deprivation of dopamine as a shifting of that dopamine to other sources, I promise.
