Comments on: Your Take: How Do You Talk Yourself Out of Purchases?

By: Miss M

Miss M — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:02:49 +0000

After digging myself out of debt I have a hard time spending money, the dollars in my bank account are hard won and for the most part I’d rather hang on to them then spend them on something. Even when I have the money I am loathe to part with it, it’s gotta be something I really need. The small house helps when the significant other wants to buy something, all I have to say is where on earth would we put it and he usually shuts up.

By: broke

broke — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:40:15 +0000

I don’t have to talk myself out of purchases. My low bank balance (I don’t have credit cards) does it.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:09:18 +0000

Great ideas Jim. I just bought and house and that was the big thing for my fiancee and I. The next big thing is our wedding and then a car. When I look at something to buy, I always think of how many times I will use the item and if it isn’t many, then I try to just forget about wanting it anymore.

By: Hawkmoon Nine

Hawkmoon Nine — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:47:19 +0000

I ask myself “how much am I actually going to use this?” and that separates a lot of the need/want items.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:28:39 +0000

This is a tough one for me. I try to remember the “Big Thing” I should be saving for (a house), but often that feels so far away. And I really should pay off my debt first before I do anything (credit cards, car, and student loans) and that’s much less exciting than buying something new.

By: MoneyMateKate

MoneyMateKate — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:45:58 +0000

If the purchase is not The Big Thing but big enough to warrant thought, then I’m not comfortable buying it until I’ve done some research to make sure I’m getting a good price (usually online is better) as well as to see if other similar products have different features I might prefer. I hate the feeling of spending a lot of money only to find a better product or deal elsewhere.

By: Curt

Curt — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:24:12 +0000

I agree with the other commenters, time seems to be a great strategy. It you wait a while, that ‘got to have this’ feeling seems to pass.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:09:40 +0000

Time is the best. Put it off for a couple weeks…the feeling passes.

Consider where I will put it. We have a cluttered house as it is.

Talk it over with my wife.

By: Miranda

Miranda — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:53:09 +0000

Great post! I actually talk myself out of some purchases with a waiting period. If I find I don’t think about it much for a week after I think I want it, then obviously it’s really not that great. It’s actually worked really well for avoiding purchases.

And I like your Big Thing idea. Right now, ours is a yard. We’ll be saving up all winter. So now I can ask myself: Do I want to put the yard in during May, or do I want to wait until June? Or July?