Comments on: I stopped, I looked, I wanted – Fighting the Impulse to Blindly Consume http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:38:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: silver fox http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-280440 silver fox Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:57:32 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-280440 Great article. Having a strategy for dealing with impulse items is definitely smart. I especially liked your idea of 'find another way to satisfy the gimmee monster'. I keep a 'wish list' of things I feel would make life better, and save towards those. If I see something else and impulsively want it, I ask myself whether I want it more than the top item on my wish list. Usually the answer is no, especially after I've thought about it and procrastinated until the impulse passes. Procrastination can be a good thing! I tell myself I'll buy it another time, then I forget why I even wanted it. There's a strong feeling of freedom in walking out of the store WITHOUT that impulse item. Great article. Having a strategy for dealing with impulse items is definitely smart. I especially liked your idea of ‘find another way to satisfy the gimmee monster’.

I keep a ‘wish list’ of things I feel would make life better, and save towards those. If I see something else and impulsively want it, I ask myself whether I want it more than the top item on my wish list. Usually the answer is no, especially after I’ve thought about it and procrastinated until the impulse passes. Procrastination can be a good thing! I tell myself I’ll buy it another time, then I forget why I even wanted it. There’s a strong feeling of freedom in walking out of the store WITHOUT that impulse item.

]]> By: Taking Extreme Measures to Avoid Overwhelming Temptation To Spend - SavingAdvice.com Blog http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-269779 Taking Extreme Measures to Avoid Overwhelming Temptation To Spend - SavingAdvice.com Blog Sat, 22 Mar 2008 13:05:13 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-269779 [...] saver knows the internal struggle with the “gimmie monster.” By sticking to our chosen saving strategies, most of us can win most of our bouts with him. [...] [...] saver knows the internal struggle with the “gimmie monster.” By sticking to our chosen saving strategies, most of us can win most of our bouts with him. [...]

]]> By: Maxine http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-266764 Maxine Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:10:10 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-266764 The netflix suggestion was the best solution of all. Even though you don't own the dvd, once you see it; you're usually satisfied with it. In reality, think about it... how many times do you look at the same dvd over and over..... The netflix suggestion was the best solution of all. Even though you don’t own the dvd, once you see it; you’re usually satisfied with it. In reality, think about it… how many times do you look at the same dvd over and over…..

]]> By: fractalbrothers http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-265271 fractalbrothers Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:44:48 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-265271 tell the gimme monster that your tax return isn't free money, it's money you already earned and should be treated just like a paycheck. tell the gimme monster that your tax return isn’t free money, it’s money you already earned and should be treated just like a paycheck.

]]> By: Efraim http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-265265 Efraim Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:25:13 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-265265 Why anyone should buy DVDs at all beats me. Just find someone that bought them (or a library) and borrow them. Once you buy those DVDs and watch them they WILL gather dust of course, what else? Same with most purchases: stuff that you don't really need, bought because of peer pressure or silly advertisement or some other flimsy reason. I am personally very happy EVERY time I manage not to buy something that looks oh so inviting. I always consider NOT buying stuff a more gratifying result than nuying it. Why anyone should buy DVDs at all beats me. Just find someone that bought them (or a library) and borrow them. Once you buy those DVDs and watch them they WILL gather dust of course, what else?
Same with most purchases: stuff that you don’t really need, bought because of peer pressure or silly advertisement or some other flimsy reason.
I am personally very happy EVERY time I manage not to buy something that looks oh so inviting. I always consider NOT buying stuff a more gratifying result than nuying it.

]]> By: Trees Full of Money http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-265072 Trees Full of Money Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:55:50 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-265072 Way to go! Sometimes I struggle with my impulses to buy some random item, even if it's something that I've never even heard of before. But I have found if it at least wait a day or two before I buy I eventually come to my senses! Ben @ Trees Full of Money Way to go! Sometimes I struggle with my impulses to buy some random item, even if it’s something that I’ve never even heard of before. But I have found if it at least wait a day or two before I buy I eventually come to my senses!

Ben @ Trees Full of Money

]]> By: Wisepicker, personal finances http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-264991 Wisepicker, personal finances Wed, 12 Mar 2008 05:48:29 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-264991 That behaviour is called "compulsive". It's in the nature of the human race, we feel attracted by the product (and all the marketing techniques behind it) and then we are catched. I have to confess mea culpa, as I'm also a (currently under control) compulsive buyer, and have applied at least 5 out of 6 of the techniques that you enlist above. What I could humbly add to the list is to live (over any time or condition) by the firm rule of a Budget. It doesn't have to be so complex, just a simple list with quantities on the right. It helps to keep focused and to stop the compulsive desire of buying what we don't need immediately. That behaviour is called “compulsive”. It’s in the nature of the human race, we feel attracted by the product (and all the marketing techniques behind it) and then we are catched.

I have to confess mea culpa, as I’m also a (currently under control) compulsive buyer, and have applied at least 5 out of 6 of the techniques that you enlist above.

What I could humbly add to the list is to live (over any time or condition) by the firm rule of a Budget. It doesn’t have to be so complex, just a simple list with quantities on the right. It helps to keep focused and to stop the compulsive desire of buying what we don’t need immediately.

]]> By: Trees Full of Money http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-264959 Trees Full of Money Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:39:52 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-264959 moneyglut! Those $50 purchases ad up over time, until individuals find themselves with thousands of dollars worth of consumer debt that they can barely make the payments on. Then they lose a job or some other circumstance arises and they can no longer meet their debt obligations, and are faced with a VERY stressful situation. Your right in once sense, if you've got the money spend it! That is the ultimate goal of most people with a financial plan. That learn to sacrifice now so that they can prosper in the future. For now though, most people reading financial blogs struggle with the urge to buy MORE than they can afford. Ben @ Trees Full of Money moneyglut!

Those $50 purchases ad up over time, until individuals find themselves with thousands of dollars worth of consumer debt that they can barely make the payments on. Then they lose a job or some other circumstance arises and they can no longer meet their debt obligations, and are faced with a VERY stressful situation.

Your right in once sense, if you’ve got the money spend it! That is the ultimate goal of most people with a financial plan. That learn to sacrifice now so that they can prosper in the future. For now though, most people reading financial blogs struggle with the urge to buy MORE than they can afford.

Ben @ Trees Full of Money

]]> By: Cortni http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-264701 Cortni Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:18:56 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-264701 I recently went through the same situation with a snowboard I wanted to buy. I planned on buying a used set for under $100, but I was having trouble finding one I liked. Then I found a brand new set for $270, which is cheap for a new snowboard set- plus it looked so nice. But even though $270 is cheap for a snowboard set, it's also a lot of money in general. I debated for weeks and finally decided I don't need to buy it now because the season is almost over and it might even be cheaper at the beginning of next year since it's this year's model. But it's hard- I visited online probably a thousand times. I've found that I can be so disciplined in my spending sometimes, but there are just some things that really make it hard :) I recently went through the same situation with a snowboard I wanted to buy. I planned on buying a used set for under $100, but I was having trouble finding one I liked. Then I found a brand new set for $270, which is cheap for a new snowboard set- plus it looked so nice. But even though $270 is cheap for a snowboard set, it’s also a lot of money in general. I debated for weeks and finally decided I don’t need to buy it now because the season is almost over and it might even be cheaper at the beginning of next year since it’s this year’s model. But it’s hard- I visited online probably a thousand times. I’ve found that I can be so disciplined in my spending sometimes, but there are just some things that really make it hard :)

]]> By: moneyglut http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html/comment-page-1#comment-264688 moneyglut Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:45:41 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/03/11/102056_i-stopped-i-looked-i-wanted-fighting-the-impulse-to-blindly-consume.html#comment-264688 What is wrong with all of you people? It's no wonder that you can't be happy. Money is meant to be spent. If it is something that will make you happy and you have it, spend it and make yourself happy. Spending hours thinking about whether it is worth getting something or not is wasted time of your life. Your time worrying is worth more than a lousy $50. What is wrong with all of you people? It’s no wonder that you can’t be happy. Money is meant to be spent. If it is something that will make you happy and you have it, spend it and make yourself happy. Spending hours thinking about whether it is worth getting something or not is wasted time of your life. Your time worrying is worth more than a lousy $50.

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