Buy Less: The "Will-By" Defense

Another mental trick that will keep your spending in check without you feeling deprived! I call this one the "Will-By" Defense. Here's how it works:

If you can't clearly state when you WILL use an item BY - an actual, MM/DD/YY date - you are likely not ready to buy it at any price.

No matter how great the price, buying something costs you money over time.  Just like a store has a cost associated with things sitting on the shelf, items incur a 'cost' sitting in your house unused.  Space and storage costs money.  Time is spent on keeping things clean and undamaged.  Investing money into an item removes that money from other uses that could have made you money.  Therefore, if you can't USE an item in a certain amount of time, it will never be worth the 'good price'.

Consider the following:

Buy Less: 3 Use Arguement

Giving Yourself Purchase Jitters:

I am guilty of spending money and feeling that momentary excitement from making a purchase - don't know why, but I'm as easily bit by the shopping bug as anyone else.  However, before I actually make a purchase, I have a slightly-mental conversation with myself.  Imagine a devil and an angel on either shoulder, or more accurate, a skin-flint and a spend-thrift.

Skinflint - You don't NEED that.
Spendthrift - But I WANT it.
Skinflint - Well, what's it gonna do for you that don't have already?
Spendthrift - Well, it will _______.
Skinflint - That's it?
Spendthrift - No, there's.... more....

And this conversation continues until I get 3 USES for the item in question.  I call this my "3 Use Argument".  Usually, I get tired of thinking about it and put the item back before I talk myself into 3 ways it will improve my life, so 9 out of 10 times this prevents me from buying it.  The best part of this odd little mental-check?  I feel GOOD when I DON'T buy it!


The trick doesn't take more than 30 seconds to be effective, and here are some details to help you make it happen in your own head: