- And otherwise
The most delicious anti-frustration remedy: Coffee.
A few days ago, a friend of mine who lectures at the university in Münster told me that his students spend a lot of money on micro-escapes from everyday life, despite high rents for shared apartments, rising living costs, and everything else.
Kristin Oldenburg
“If I can't afford to buy a house...”
In 2024, Dubai chocolate was the object of desire; this year, it’s the iced matcha latte for 7$ and up. If you treat yourself to one three times a week, it adds up to a tidy sum (around 1,000$ per year, to be precise).
But frustration is high among the 16-29 age group, according to the Schufa Youth Finance Monitor. Around half (51%) do not believe they will be able to achieve the same standard of living as their parents, or even a higher one.* The result: “Little treat culture.” That’s the name of the new self-indulgence trend. The rewards themselves change extremely quickly, as they are supposed to be something special, but the basic principle of small, affordable hedonism remains.
The “lipstick effect.”
Incidentally, this escape into moments of luxury is nothing new. “It is strongly reminiscent of the so-called lipstick effect,” says Mira Fauth-Bühler, professor of business psychology at FOM University in Stuttgart, quoted in the Handelsblatt newspaper. Leonard Lauder, former head of Estée Lauder (cosmetics), noted that after September 11, 2001, and during the 2008 financial crisis, more lipsticks were sold – despite all the economic problems. “These purchases give us the feeling of maintaining control despite uncertain times,” Mira Fauth-Bühler continues.* So it’s the exclusive little things that save our mood.
Good for the soul.
If we’re honest, we’ve all made impulse purchases like shoes, handbags, etc. They’re good for the soul (even if your bank account isn’t so happy) and serve as a reward for persevering and getting through tough times. And when times are really bad, it might just be a chocolate croissant or an elaborate, delicious coffee.
There is actually a very simple mechanism behind this. Bad news cause stress. Especially when it rains down on us like it is doing at the moment. It feels like we’re “on” 24 hours a day, receiving news around the clock and around the globe. The only thing that helps against this feeling of helplessness is the feeling of being able to make a difference yourself – or, as they say nowadays, “self-efficacy.” In other words, gaining control over something: Buying that chocolate croissant – now more than ever.
Of course, scientists say that this cannot be achieved through consumption alone. Experiencing something that you can influence yourself is doubly good for the soul. To be honest, we recommend our Mount Hagen coffee.
And now: The advertisement?!
Perhaps some of you may be thinking that right now. But no! A really good coffee with magnificent, special aromas is a luxury. Consciously enjoying it and using it to escape external influences for a few minutes is self-efficacy. And if it’s an organic fair trade coffee like Mount Hagen, every cup you drink also helps to improve the lives of coffee farmers and the environment a little bit. What more could you ask for?
