How can we achieve the American Dream if we fall prey to American commercialism which is addictive and consumer-based? Whether it’s junk food, drugs (including cigarettes and alcohol), money, politics, body weight… we are all subject to mass commericalism which convinces us that we simply cannot be happy if we don’t have a particular product that will change our life for the better. Because taxes are so low here compared to our trans-Atlantic counterparts, Americans can afford to buy these products in bulk which means we need to work harder to reduce the impulse to buy. If you are struggling to find a balance between these perpendicular forces in our society, it’s time to take a lesson from the people of Europe and Canada who have much higher taxes than we do and as a result, tend to be more penny wise.

According to a savy friend of mine who has lived in Canada, France, Great Britain, and the U.S.A., people in the first three nations think twice before spending double or triple the amount Americans spend on gasoline, depending on the country. Yes, that is quite expensive, but in exchange for their tax dollars, these countries offer free universal health care and subsidized higher education to all their citizens which gives those governments an incentive to take care of their people- much more so than here. After all, if you are paying for someone’s health care and education, you want to make sure they have a healthy, productive lifestyle so that they can give back to the country in the form of their tax dollars. In Sweeden, there is a 25% sales tax and 50% income tax. Amazing, yes?

People in these countries are more careful about spending money on food and are therefore less obese than Americans and on average have fewer health problems. The tax on cigarettes is much higher than in the U.S. and as a result smokers have a financial as well as a health incentive to quit. In essence, smokers pay for the cost of their chemotherapy through the tax on each pack. European countries make it harder for people to impulsively buy products without thinking twice about the impact on their wallets.

I’m not suggesting that you pack your suitcase and move to France (although that would be nice), but the next time you go shopping, try to put yourself in a European frame of mind. If that product was 25% more expensive would you still buy it? If so, then you probably need it, but if the answer is no, put your credit card back in your wallet where it belongs!