Unfollowing Instagram accounts saved me 6K last month. Here's how
Mindlessly scrolling on Instagram takes up most of my time when I am off work (and sometimes even during work) and this is the convenient cycle that follows:
- I see Masoom Minawala (or some other influencer) wear something nice or recommend a list of 'Indian designers you should follow'
- I find gorgeous clothes, bags, and shoes in these stores with a special discount code for Minawala's followers.
- Once I am on IG linked online store, I think of getting one for myself, and end up with two.
- 4 days later, the shipment comes home and I spend the next 2 weeks showing it off at work.
- Then the bag mysteriously disappears somewhere at the back of the closet.
THE MINDLESS RITUAL THAT BECOMES COSTLY
I spent around 6K last month following this above cycle like a mandatory ritual. I might have spent a little less in the previous months, but last month was my peak. Now, it is very convenient for us to get sucked into this cycle and not let it affect our wallets. Also, given that we spend so much time scrolling on IG more than on any other platform, it is not easy to not let the newest food restaurant tempt us into making our weekend plans. Or let the new audio Boat headphones not make their way to our Amazon cart in a few days and into our earholes within the next few.
Most of the IG shopping comes from the fact that is completely convenient. even if it is unnecessary. What starts as pleasant on the eyes, can turn out to be unpleasant on your wallet. So what do you do about it?
Try this hack: Unfollow some Instagram accounts. Period. But how will we survive if we unfollow IG accounts? Here are some things I did:
1. FOUND MY WEAK SPOT
What are the things/accounts you cannot resist and always lose control of while scrolling/ shopping online? What are your shopping patterns like? What items will automatically get added to a wish list but will eventually not be used at least 8 times. What have been your most frivolous purchases? Take out 10 mins and list them down to be aware. You can only do something about it if and when you are aware.
For me, this included fast fashion brands (for tempting but frivolous outfits), brands driven by celebs, ultra-luxury items (like those tiny Dior bags that can't even fit your phone), and expensive Headphones which always give me a headache ( but which I don't need, especially the Marvel ones!).
Restaurants are also a major weak spot, but since food makes me strong and good-looking restaurants are my thing, we will keep it on our Instagram.
2. UNFOLLOWED ALL ''SALE - SALE' COMPANIES: These brands just keep selling - on their posts and stories. I chucked them out.
3. REMOVED ACCOUNTS THAT SELL/ RESELL YOUR WEAK SPOT ITEMS - Keep just one such account in each category and remove the rest. Trust me, you won't even remember them two weeks later. (Just unfollowed Netflix and Amazon Prime)
4. THINK MANY TIMES BEFORE KEEPING THEM: It is always nice to support small or even woman-led businesses consciously that need your support, especially if they have lesser followers.
5. TOO MUCH INFLUENCER TALKS? Any influencers who keep yapping endlessly about their own products or about someone else's? Try unfollowing them. You don't need repeat information. If you really needed it, your brain would have told you the first time.
6. DON'T RESPOND TO ADS: Responding positively to ads gives IG an indication to show you more products of a similar kind. Even if you report paid ads as irrelevant, IG will find different stuff to show you. So, notice the kind of ads that come up and ignore them.
Your mind will always go ' I want this' when it sees a glossy new product. Postpone the purchase by a couple of days and instead of buying it through IG, check the brand's actual website for the product. Make the buying process intentionally longer and see if you still want it. As you enter all your info again to buy, you will give your brain more time to process the info and decide if you really want it.