Hello, and welcome to week seven of the MFY Christmas Countdown - 10 weeks to go!
Spooky season is upon us, after which it’s pretty much all aboard the Polar Express in a couple of weeks’ time.
Being on the internet or opening your mail app from the end of October can feel like having your eyes taped open as messages about how you need to do more, consume more, spend more to have the ‘perfect’ Christmas, which makes this week the perfect time to comparison-proof your online life.
Orchestrate a mass unfollow/unsubscribe
Over the months and years of our digital lives, we subscribe to thousands of emails from thousands of brands - big corporations and tiny independents. Not only does this full inbox syndrome drive us to spend, it also just adds general noise to our lives that we could do without.
Mailing lists are valuable to companies, because email ‘converts’ - it makes people buy things. Which is obviously not always a bad thing, but if your email inbox is causing you to overspend - if you just can’t resist an offer or a limited edition once you know about it - it might be time to invest some time in a digital declutter. The same goes for social media, where you are likely being advertised to in at least two different ways: influencer marketing, where the people you follow are paid to promote products, and sponsored brand content, where companies pay for their ad to be served to you as you browse. It’s non-stop.
There are two approaches you can take to clearing some ad-free space in your online life - all in one go or more gradually. I prefer a sprinkling of both - dedicating half an hour (I’m going to be on my phone anyway, let’s face it) to trawling my inbox and deleted folder, scrolling to the bottom of each email and feeling more and more free as I systematically click ‘unsubscribe’. There used to be sites that would do this for you, but they have largely ceased to exist because, somewhat ironically, of GRPR. After the mass exodus, I catch any stragglers by unsubscribing as and when they come in.
Similarly, I want you to be mindful of the accounts you follow on social media. Are they making you feel bad about yourself or your Christmas plans? Are they misaligned with your affordability? It’s fine to unfollow (or mute if they’re friends and unfollowing will cause issues), even if just temporarily.
Clear your cookies and change your ad preferences
Everywhere we step online, we drop little breadcrumbs about our behaviour - what we like, our favourite brands, our life stage and what specific triggers make us spend.
If we want to reduce temptation and not be stalked around the internet by something we looked at once, there are a few things that can be done:
On Facebook, you can change your ad preferences to turn off ‘off-Facebook activity’, which reduces the data they Facebook (and therefore Instagram) have about what you do elsewhere online, which in turn reduces their ability to advertise to you. You can do something similar on TikTok.
It’s also a good idea to clear your browser history/cookies to reduce temptation from banner ads.
Find good influences
They definitely do exist! Find newsletters and social media accounts that make you feel good, and affirm your choices. And even then, it’s a good idea to limit your exposure - have curfews and try to gradually reduce the amount of time you spend online.
Don’t forget to download the planner!
My Christmas budget planner is designed to help you to keep track of your costs and ensure you don’t go over-budget - download it for free if you haven’t already.
To do:
Unsubscribe from a stack of marketing emails.
Unfollow any social media accounts that make you feel inadequate or tempted.
Clear your cookies and adjust your ad preferences.