How do you justify buying something you want but don’t need?
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wrote last edited by [email protected]
Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
wrote last edited by [email protected]I ask myself: can I afford it? Do I already have something similar? Do I see myself using it often? That last question is where you need to be honest with yourself, because it’s easy to find yourself neglecting a new purchase after the initial excitement wears off.
Depending on what the item is, you can sample or borrow/rent it to see if it sticks. You can also set a “waiting period” for yourself, and buy it if you still want it after that period ends. Sometimes the craving passes by then.
You have to find pleasures in life too, so if you can fit it into your budget and think you will get good use out of it, why not get it?
You have a nice day/night too!
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
You work your whole life to be able to afford a little frivolity. If you're just going to stand in your own way to deny yourself all but the essentials, that's no way to live.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
Budgets (formal or informal)!
- Have I covered all of my expenses? Yes.
- Have I properly funded my savings (retirement, emergency fund, other savings goals)? Yes.
- Do I have money left over? Yes!
Permission to spend granted!
Further before I buy something I'll write it down on a list and essentially not buy it for a period of time (7 days? 30 days, a year?). I'll come back to that list and gauge my interest again. Many, MANY times (most?) I don't care about the thing anymore so I don't spend the money.
Then I'll usually try to get the cheaper version (possibly used) of the thing first to make sure it still holds my interest in using it before I would justify buying the more expensive one. So many times the cheaper version does everything I need and I never need to buy the expensive version. When I do exceed the capabilities of the cheap version, and it is still holding my interest, I can then justify spending on the expensive (new?) version. Example: I wanted a bicycle to ride around the neighborhood for fitness and enjoyment. I looked at higher end brands and models, but first I bought a $200 Big Box Store Schwinn. I'm still using that same bicycle 6 years later with no need to replace it. One note, about two years into ownership I took it to an actual bicycle store for a tune up. The cost was about $80, I think. I wish I had done that on day 1! The bike's brakes worked much better and the gear shifting were MUCH improved! Prior to the service, I would regularly have the chain come off from bad shifts. The last time that happened was 3 years ago prior to the service.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
There is no need to justify anything. It is your money.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I usually go with "Third time's a charm"
If I think about wanting it once, I tell myself not to do anything rash.
The next time I think about wanting it (at least a day after the first time) I research, look at prices, get an idea of what I'm looking for and what models would work best for me.
The third time, I dig out the research I did before, check to see if prices have changed, and if I have the money available, I'll probably do it.
Self enforced waiting periods have talked me out of a lot of impulse buys that I probably would have regretted.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
If you can afford it and it's something you think you'll enjoy, go for it. In the case of a motorcycle or similar item, make sure you can also afford insurance, maintenance, etc.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
A friend of mine retired and later told me he has too much money saved and he wished he had spent it more when he was younger.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
Don't overthink it. Life is too short.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
"Damn that looks like fun!"
Make purchase.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I make a simple calculation:
I divide X money over Y time.
I enjoy photography, and bough a fancy camera with a bonus at my last job.
In total I have probably spent 30k SEK on the camera and lenses, I bought it in early 2023, so let's say that I have had a year and a half to enjoy it, that is 18 months
30k/18months is about 1.7k/month so far, and in return I got thousands of photos, some of which can be found here:
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I want it.
That justification enough for me. If I can afford said thing, I'll buy it. Having it live rent free in my head is way more annoying than just forking out the dough for whatever dumb thing I currently am obsessing over.
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A friend of mine retired and later told me he has too much money saved and he wished he had spent it more when he was younger.
wrote last edited by [email protected]I know several people in the exact opposite situation though, which is rough to put it lightly.
A happy medium might be to think of retirement like any of your other bills and then play around with what's left over.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I want it and I have money for it. That's all the justification I need.
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I make a simple calculation:
I divide X money over Y time.
I enjoy photography, and bough a fancy camera with a bonus at my last job.
In total I have probably spent 30k SEK on the camera and lenses, I bought it in early 2023, so let's say that I have had a year and a half to enjoy it, that is 18 months
30k/18months is about 1.7k/month so far, and in return I got thousands of photos, some of which can be found here:
That's still quite an investment. Not many people have 1.7k/month to spend on a hobby.
I don't mean this as a criticism, of course, if you can afford it and it brings you joy then it's worth it.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I have a fun budget. A % of my monthly surplus goes I to it, and everything (excluding food) that I want rather than need come out of that pot.
I then have no guilt over spending my fun money, unless I think I could have more fun using it for something else.
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That's still quite an investment. Not many people have 1.7k/month to spend on a hobby.
I don't mean this as a criticism, of course, if you can afford it and it brings you joy then it's worth it.
wrote last edited by [email protected]1.7K SEK is about 154€ EUR or 180$ USD.
So its not insane money. Still a bit, but not as bad as it may seem.
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Don't overthink it. Life is too short.
But also: Don't underthink it. Life is too long.
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Hello again Lemmy! I have another question.
Context: I took a motorcycle safety class, was nervous but enjoyed it, researched motorcycles, found a few I liked, talked to a dealer about them but ultimately, I couldn’t finalize a deal, talked myself out of it basically
I was curious how others might justify a purchase that has no purpose other than wanting something.
For clarity, I don’t need anyone to justify me buying a motorcycle. I want to read about your thought processes for buying something you want
As always thanks for replying and have an awesome day/night!!
I don't usually do it, so when I do it it means that I really like that thing.
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1.7K SEK is about 154€ EUR or 180$ USD.
So its not insane money. Still a bit, but not as bad as it may seem.
Ah, sorry, I did a default $£€ assumption! My bad!
