Leaving Your Heart Out Of Financial Decisions 
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Have you ever wondered why we sometimes rush into some financial decisions without properly thinking things through? Maybe you’re normally pretty careful with your money and then you just throw caution to the wind. Then once you finally stop to think about it, you start to regret that decision.
For some people, their love life follows a very similar course. They end up developing a very strong attraction to someone and pursue when they really should know better. Maybe she already has 6 kids from 6 different fathers. Maybe that person is already committed. Maybe they live 1000 miles away.
So what’s the deal? Are we just weak and unable to use our willpower? Maybe we are, but the reality of the situation is that we are letting our hearts impair our judgement. Or if you want to get all technical, it is our brain creating extra adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin. Plus critical parts of our brain actually get switched off temporarily once those chemicals get flowing.
With stuff like that going on in our brain, no wonder we can make such bad decisions in the heat of the moment. That being said, good luck explaining to your significant other that it was those chemicals at fault when you go and blow your whole paycheck or hook up with the office secretary. Those changes in the brain may effect our decision making, but ultimately we are still in control. Sorry, I bet that excuse was starting to sound pretty good, especially if you were to mention all those chemical names in a serious tone. Actually, give it a shot and report back how it went.
That means next time you find yourself craving that iPad, new sports car or brand name purse, walk away and take some time to think about it. Eventually your brain function will return to normal and your bank account will thank you.
When you do take the time to properly analyze these kinds of decisions, you realize that it’s probably not the best idea. Instead maybe you should be looking at the cheaper tablet that doesn’t charge an extra $200 for the Apple logo or maybe an eReader would suffice. Instead of buying that new sports car, a used model might be a much better deal. And instead of buying that 11th purse to add to your collection, maybe you should just consider collecting something a little more reasonably priced.
Don’t just think about all of the positive factors of going with your initial desire. Think about the negatives and the other alternatives you could choose. Also make sure that purchase can comfortably fit into your budget without affecting our finances too drastically. The more expensive the decision, the more you should analyze it.
After you think about it for a while, you may very well decide that you still really want that iPad or hot asian. And before you say that the hot asian isn’t a financial decision, know that it is probably the most expensive example listed, not to be racist or stereotypical. That’s just been my experience. If you’re lucky that woman may be a doctor or lawyer. Now if she’s that and got a great personality, don’t let that woman out of your sight. Sorry, got a little distracted there. I guess being single has been starting to wear on me.
If you do decide to make that big purchase now the next step is to shop around to find the best price. This will give you some extra time to think about it and also possibly expose some other options. Plus you’ll have a much better chance of running into the girl of your dreams. Hopefully she doesn’t cost you too much.
How do you avoid letting your heart affect your financial decisions? Did your heart win out on any recent purchases? Or better yet, any advice for me to find a new woman? lol
88 Comments
There’s only one store that affects me like this. I rarely shop there, because I whenever I do, I go into a frenzy and always spend at least 50% more than planned. I don’t understand it, it’s purely chemical. Hence, I only visit it three times a year.
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What store is that? I’m pretty curious now! I would have to say that I know a few stores that I could get all crazy in.
Jeremy, nice post. Our hearts do play a huge role in our financial decisions, sometimes even the wrong ones. Sometimes you just can’t ignore the heart though – and what if it is right? What is that saying…go with your gut… doesn’t your gut usually follow your heart? Lol. I guess I just hate to make all of my financial decisions with solely my brain. My heart and my brain are usually on different pages, but I’d have to say the brain usually wins.
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For sure, sometimes you do need to go with your heart, especially if your heart is still saying the same thing days later. You don’t always want to deprive yourself just because your brain isn’t so sure about the decision.
As for specific stores, I was gonna say that I never really have that problem with stores, but then I remembered that I have that problem with food. My love of good food definitely gets me wasting a lot of money.
I liked your article, a lot of decisions we make are influenced by our hearts. However, I’m not sure what you meant by ” I guess being single is starting to wear on me” ….look at it from another stand point, at least out you’re not limited, you come and you go as you want, make your own schedule, spend your own $$ etc….marriage is not for everyone is what I’ve said to many people, and if they can’t make it on their own, it just means they have a chronic dependency issue. (not referring to you)
No I do appreciate a lot of the benefits of being single, but it’s just not the same as having someone there for you all the time. Maybe it is some kind of dependency issue. Or maybe my last relationship was just so long that I’ve really come to prefer that lifestyle. I have gone on some dates, but nothing really clicked. Sometimes it just feels like all the best ones are already taken.
Jeremy,
Dating is a funny thing. Oddly enough we both have a lot in common from where we came from (relationships), and where we are now, except that I have about 2 years on you in headway since being single. Since then (3yrs ago), I manged to start two businesses, became in probably the best shape since high school, purchased a new-used car, and more importantly my self esteem/respect has sky rocketed. I went from being that “prefer to be w/someone” to having enormous options to choose from. Now I know who I am, what I offer, and more importantly what I want. Now to me its like negotiating a good deal, I’m not afraid to walk away if someone doesn’t fit my criteria. There’s plenty of fish in the sea.
Good way of looking at it. I feel like I’ve started to go through a similar self improvement phase in the past few months too. I just miss too many of the benefits of having someone that you care about along for the journey.
I think you are spot on here. Advertisers usually try to pull our emotional strings in order to compel us to buy. They know that we are more likely to make a purchase when we are in an emotional state. It doesn’t matter whether it is love, hate, fear, jealousy or whatever. Taking time with purchases, especially bigger ones, will help eliminate this and help us make more logical and rational buying decisions.
Great point about how advertisers play off of our emotions. I probably should’ve included something about that in the post. Advertisers do take big advantage of emotions. A smart ad is going to make our heart want something and not just our brain.
I wouldn’t say that I let my heart win, but there are things that are dear to me that I would spend more money on or go further into debt for. Fortunately, my brain is stronger and wins every time. Personally, I’m pretty vain I guess…because when I dream about having more money, it usually involves having a nicer wardrobe and shoes, getting my hair and nails done regularly, splurging on facials and eventually as I age–fillers! I’m way too honest…geez. Who admits to this crap?
Anyway….whilst girlfriend hunting, I would consider signing up for a class. Cooking, archery, photography…whatever you are remotely interested in will do. Everyone says to try to pick up chicks at the grocery store, but that just seems way too hard to me! What in the world do you say to someone in the produce section? Even if you come up with something to say, it would be really hard to segue from “Can you help me pick out a firm melon?” to “Can I call you some time?” CREEPY!!!
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lol thanks for being honest Michelle. I like a good dose of openness around here. It’s good to hear that your brain wins out every time, but it sounds like your heart is just waiting for the day when your brain lets its guard down.
As for dating, I kinda thought the grocery store might work, but I don’t know a good opening line either. Since strangers rarely talk in a grocery store, it just seems a bit awkward. I like your idea about taking a class, but I’m a little busy for that these days. I half considered asking out this girl in my group therapy, but decided that’s probably a bad idea.
Hmm…depends. Is the group therapy for your past struggles with drug use? If so, I definitely think that’s a bad idea! You are both too fresh to this if you’re in group therapy for it, and being around someone who shares the same weaknesses….could be a *really* bad idea. Kwim?
I know what you mean about being too busy for a class. I’d really like to take a class myself (uh..not to pick up chicks…hehe), but have absolutely no time to take one!
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Hey if you’re looking to pick up chicks, you’re more than welcome to share it here…actually you’re quite encouraged to do so.
No the group this isn’t for drugs. It’s for depression and anxiety. So maybe we’d actually be able to relate to each other better and be able to provide more support. Maybe towards the end of the therapy I’ll think about asking her out, but it seems like it could lead to a volatile relationship.
Haha, that happened to me once. I was knocking on cantaloupes and this guy came up to me and he was like “What are you listening for?” which cracked me up. Then he asked me out! It was totally awkward and I ended up giving him my business card. Then I never called him back when he did call, I just thought, who is this creep picking up chicks at the grocery store? Might be a murderer, better not call him!
lol well hearing that take on it, I guess I won’t be making my move at the grocery store unless she flashes a smile at me or something. And if you think it’s awkward being hit on at weird places, try being the one who’s gotta be the one making that awkward move.
Hmm. I guess most of my clothing purchases are done using my heart and not my brain. My brain knows that in the scheme of things, I don’t need another dress and that what I wore today really wont’ matter 20 years from now, but having that money in my retirement account would.
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The clothing one is a little trickier to avoid because you can convince your brain that you need that outfit. Plus it is usually a bunch of smaller purchases that add up so you think about each one less.
I’m very emotional when it comes to food….when hungry….I need food, so no prolonging here…LOL
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I’ve told my clients for a long time that emotional spending is one of the biggest traps most people fall into. You hit one side of the emotional trap pretty well (initial response) but I think emotional spending goes into perception-buying purchases and purchases made “out of love” (i.e. Christmas gifts, buying stuff for your kids, etc).
Ahh another good point. Thankfully I’ve got some smart people here to contribute to the conversation. Yeah I was pretty focused on one specific side of this, I guess due to the distraction. Your heart certainly plays a huge role in those kinds of purchases too. For me, those ones are pretty tough to avoid. I don’t like spending a lot of money on myself, but if it’s for someone else the budget goes out the window.
Haha! Funny about the hot asian. Never dated one and now I’m married, so I’ll take your word on that one.
True about taking your heart out of things. When it comes to making big decisions about money or dating or cheating, you can let your heart have a say, but then you have to let the rest of your brain have a say too. And I mean the brain in your head, not your pants. haha!
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Damn that brain in my pants! That one really gets me by the balls and leads me to all kinds of wrong decisions. Fortunately the bigger brain wins out if it comes to cheating, but it sure affects rationality.
Saving money is about delayed gratification and turning off some of the emotions that drive our purchasing. I have a friend whose wife spends a lot, and he accuses her of being a child. I think it is an accurate description.
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If only turning off emotions was easier. Ones those chemicals get active, the only thing stopping them is some time and willpower. Giving yourself time to think about the decision does help with delayed gratification. By waiting while you think about it more, that purchase can become that much more gratifying. And yeah I guess with a child those brain chemicals can overrun the brain a lot easier. So that probably is an accurate description, although probably not the best way to discourage his wife from spending.
I actually shop with my head. So much so that it drives people crazy. I can walk around a store with stuff in my hands, the whole time going over the potential purchase in my head, and just as I’m about to get on the line to pay, I’ll put it down and walk right out. It’s just how my brain works when it comes to non-food purchases. At a restaurant, I don’t care about cost, only quality and experience, so I guess this is my brains way of compensating/offsetting it.
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I suspect that people who are naturally more analytical can exert a lot more willpower with shopping. It’s funny because I’m pretty analytical, but I’m also about quality when it comes to dining out. I wonder if for us food just triggers more of those brain chemicals, or whether we’ve just convinced our brains that quality is most important with food.
I think with me, it just a case of being super-picky. In terms of quality, I always choose it over quantity. I’d much rather cut back on going out if I had to, and limit myself to only the best of the best (in my opinion–not based on price). I’m also the same way when it comes to clothes. My preference is for better quality clothes that hold up over time, even though I may have less of them as opposed to having tons that look like crap after a couple washes. Maybe I’ve crossed into anal territory?
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Well we differ in that regard. I care so little about buying nice clothes. I can’t even remember the last time I bought some new clothes. My relatives totally know that and are always buying me clothes as presents. Works for me.
I can’t say I’m super picky with food, but I’m also not content eating processed crap. With some foods though, if you’re dining out, you might as well pay a bit more for better quality. Sushi is the one that comes to mind for me.
Haha I love the “hot asian” part! And for me, clothing is my main financial decision that comes from my heart. I don’t need all those clothes!
Yeah despite the part about the hot asians being expensive, I admit they have a special place in my heart lol. As for clothes, it seems that women have much more love for clothes. So I can’t really relate to that obsession, but I guess you have more pressure in that regard and there is just so much more to choose from.
Hmm…I try to not make financial decsions with my heart anymore. That has always led me down wrong paths. (I.e. ex wants this super expensive couch but doesn’t have money, I have money and (at the time) like the ex–so therefore I pay for the couch!) But now, I think about purchases. Do I need to buy this? No? Okay, let me think on it. Chances are I won’t buy it. It means that for a while I didn’t bring any extra money to stores.
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I was definitely in the situation of carrying of the financial burden in a relationship just because I wanted to keep her happy. I found myself paying for our couches, tv, most dining out and a lot of other things that we should’ve split evenly. When it’s something that your partner wants, then it takes both of your willpower to really think about it. The problem is if you avoid it, your partner may resent it and incorrectly read into that.
I’ve been much better about not spending with my emotions in the last year. Eventually, nice stuff just starts to look silly. I’m not saying I don’t still buy some nice things, but wanting them the way I used to? Nah. I remind myself that I’ll have to give something else up if I buy this, like not paying down as much debt, or adding to savings.
I think getting serious about paying off a debt or saving more money really gives you brain more power in those situations. Then the ramifications of those purchases is much more recognizable. When you’re thinking about finances less frequently, it is just less natural to remember when your brain is not functioning optimally.
I have definitely been having to consciously reign myself in these days. Decide I want a cookbook and go buy it? Ya, sure, no problem. Oh wait. I also want the mortgage paid off.
Also – hot asian. nice touch.
I think we just get in the habit of not worrying about money when finances are going well. It’s not always easy to keep an eye on the big picture. The big picture just doesn’t give that immediate satisfaction.
Sometimes I’m so unemotional and logical about decisions, my family gets worried I’ll never do anything spontaneous. But at least when it comes to finances, that’s a good thing. Money and emotions almost go hand in hand, and it’s tough to separate them and make the smarter decision instead.
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Yeah that kind of behavior wouldn’t seem natural to people who aren’t so careful with their finances. I wonder if you’ll get a bit more spontaneous now that you’re out of debt. As long as you’re keeping yourself happy, there’s nothing wrong with that approach.
Yes, Jeremy! Well-stated! Why we behave on impulse when it comes to our personal decisions might be more of a cultural thing. However, regardless of the reason, we have to take some time to analyze our intentions and desires, before we just simply go for it. As you stated, before you decide to do anything that is sure to affect the rest of your life, stop and think about it first. Analyze the pros and cons. Then, once you have all of your information and worthwhile feedback, you’ll be in the position to make an educated decision.
For sure, culture definitely plays a role in it all. I would think those cultural factors effect how much of those chemicals your brain produces for certain situations. It is very interesting how the brain or animals in general adapt to their surroundings. At the same time there are certain natural instincts or reactions that get passed down from older generations genetically.
I try to be like Spock from Star Trek when it comes to financial decisions. You know, only use logic and supress all the emotion. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. I like to use the 30 day rule to help. Wait on a purchase for 30 days. If I still really want it after 30 days, I’ll buy it. Usually I forget about it by then.
As far as getting a date, do you have any friends getting married? I met my wife at my friend’s wedding.
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I dunno if I’d have the willpower to do the 30 day rule. That seems to be an awfully long time to wait for something you want. It sure would give you plenty of time to weigh the decision. I do tend to put off big purchases though, but just not on any kind of set schedule.
And no none of my friends are getting married soon. I actually kinda neglected most of my old friends when I was in my last long term relationship. So I’m not sure I would be invited even if they were getting married. I do think that would be a great place to meet a woman though when that kind of thing is totally on her mind.
Great post… this is exactly why I try to follow the 30 day rule, to make sure that if there is something at the moment I really want, it is a logical purchase and not want from the heart. This helps me avoid something I think I really want, and then it winds up that I have burned out on it very quickly…
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Ahh, another 30 day rule man. I have heard of this strategy in the past. I think it would also help you avoid those short term fads. Sometimes right when some new technology comes out everyone suddenly needs to have one, and then it quickly fizzles out or something better comes along. For example with ipads, it didn’t take long before competitors were offering very comparable models for much less money.
Exactly… right now I am applying it to a computer game I really want (a baseball game called OOTP 13)… I am trying to wait 30 days to make sure I really want it, and I am also secretly hoping that the price will drop a little bit in that time! I am guessing that once my waiting period is up, there is a 50/50 chance I won’t feel compelled to get it… and if I do, I know I will get plenty of use out of the game.
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In some cases the waiting might also open up a chance to get a used copy somewhere. Or maybe more reviews will come out that will change your mind.
I’m also quite good at leaving emotions out of my purchase decisions, with the exception of the occational (or more frequent..) donut at the grocery. Of course I’ve been called a robot on more than one occation, so I may be out of sample.
Perhaps you should focus your next post on “hot asain” as it seems to be a popular topic?
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lol I’ve noticed that too Karl. I wouldn’t mind doing a whole post about the hot asian, but I’m not sure how the female readers would take it.
It sounds like you’ve just got a bit of a sugar addiction. I’m no biologist, but I’d assume that is probably triggering similar brain chemicals. I have no idea what actual addictions do to that process though.
My wife and I both spend money on travel without even thinking. Being able to see the world is a passion of ours and as long as we are still in a good financial situation we don’t even think twice about booking a trip somewhere.
While that kind of purchase is about following your heart, I think it is not so bad. Over the years you would’ve thought a lot about that priority. So while you may not stop to think much about each individual trip decision, you’ve come to a decision to make traveling a big part of your spending. The key part is that those trips actually fit into your budget.
But emotional purchases feel the best!!!……for like a day. Then buyer’s remorse sets in, and it really sucks. I definitely am like Eric, I shop with my head. I can walk away from almost any purchase. We are on a tight budget, so lack of money always takes priority over “I need this!” I like the scientific explanation for it! i wrote a post about this, but left that part out. I called it the “saving money” myth because the BIG ADS that display 99% off and such are there to emotionally charge the customer and convince them that they are “saving” money. It works VERY well.
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I’d really like to take a marketing course that focused on psychology. Not only would it be extremely interesting, but talk about an edge for a website marketer.
Glad to hear that your tight budget has really helped limit those emotional purchases. I’m sure that being on a tight budget reminds you of your family when those temptations do arise. That kind of emotion is bound to be stronger most of the time.
Waiting to get your next purchase is a great way to figure out if you really need or want it vs it just being an impulse. As far as getting a girl, chances are you won’t find one on the blog so go out and meet some people
What?! I won’t find a new woman from the handful of women who comment on my blog? Well that’s disappointing lol. No I was more interested in advice on the subject since I know some pretty smart people comment here.
I liked how you blended relationship and money together in one topic lol. One thing people can do to think with their wallets and not their hearts is to be more emotionally attached to money maybe. But I imagine that will cause other negative implications in their lives.
Yeah I guess those were two major topics on my mind lately so it just kinda melded into one post. There are some parallels and overlap between the two.
During my time in Tokyo I learned a phrase “ishi ga yowai” and this basically means ‘Your will power is weak’ or ‘You have no backbone’. Like you mentioned, we all in control of our decisions and to blame it on some other factor like chemicals is just irresonsible. It might make for a good excuse to get out of the current problem, but down the road it’ll catch up.
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Exactly. What we decide in the end is in our own hands. All kinds of factors are going to affect any decision we make. A weak person will blame all those other factors, but that is just denying that you didn’t have the willpower to make the right decision.
I am not an emotional spender. Well actually I won’t spend on myself. If there is something that I know one of my daughters really wants then I want to get it for them. That is my one are of spending weakness.
It must be so hard to resist spoiling your kids. I’m sure I’ll struggle with that when I have kids. When you love someone how can you not try to give them everything they want?
There’s one benefit to being broke, major purchases need to be planned!
haha I can relate to that after my stint of unemployment. Not all broke people think that way though, especially with a credit card to fuel their spending urges.
You were all over the place there but I loved it. Especially the part about hot Asians.
I’m extremely glad I studied Economics in school. It was because of this that I truly understood opportunity costs. Before I make any purchase, I quickly figure out what other things I could spend this money on. It’s saved me a lot of money in many different cases.
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lol maybe I was inspired by some of your recent posts
You’ve been recently been bringing two topics together in one post. I’ve really enjoyed those posts too. It wasn’t really a conscious decision with this post though. It’s just what came out when I started thinking about this topic. Besides it’s more fun to write what you’re thinking instead of trying to fit some kind of mold.
For me, it’s a lot like a diet. You know what the good decision is and what you should do. But sometimes a cheeseburger just looks so good, and your instincts take over. Regardless, I think you can discipline yourself to reach some level of logical decision making.
As for the ladies, I wish I could help.
I’ve been out of the game for a long time.
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Good comparison to diet. It is along the same lines and I’m sure the brain has some kind of similar reaction there that clouds our judgement. Funny I was just thinking about walking over to the bank and buying a tasty lunch on my way home. With the reminder I guess I should try to find a healthy option.
I think it’s important to approach each spending decision (especially the large ones!) with an objective and rational standpoint. I’ll often ask myself a quick series of questions like “Why do I want this?” “Do I really need this?” “What’s really driving my motivation to spend right now?” before pulling the ‘buy-me’ trigger.
Overall, it’s a tough balancing act to keep emotions out of spending. But considering how far I’ve come in my financial journey, I’m not about to fall into those old, unproductive ways!
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I like that approach of asking yourself specific questions like that. I guess you just have to get in the habit of always asking yourself those kinds of questions. Then it just becomes second nature.
You definitely have to learn to use logic over emotion if you ever want to keep control of anything in life, especially money. I think that’s one way so many people get themselves into trouble in life and money, they haven’t developed the discipline that it takes to go with logic instead of emotion and it ends up costing them in the long run.
Learning to change that can be difficult, but hey, that’s why it’s called discipline. I recently wrote a post about it that may be of interest called “Change is Hard” http://wp.me/p1yqwF-tk
Keep up the great writing!
Logic and discipline are pretty accurate words. When our heart is too involved in some decisions, logic just isn’t taken into consideration. And you’re right that the discipline needs to be developed. When we are immature that discipline usually isn’t there. Once we start figuring our true financial priorities than you start figuring what kind of discipline you need to be exercising.
I used to make emotional money decisions all the time. I am an emotional reactive person so it just seemed right. I paid a high price for this. Sometimes we need to not allow our emotions to enter the equation. Pragmatic and methodical is all we need. It is easier said than done though.
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I hadn’t really considered how much more difficult this must be for someone with strong emotions. I guess that’s why it’s generally easier for men to limit spending.
I think sometimes it is important to listen to your heart even for financial decisions.
Sure, that sedan could easily suffice in place of the sports car, but what about the price of joy? Can you put a price on that? Okay, maybe I’m trying to rationalize my upcoming decision for a new car, but I think happiness should play a part in the really big decisions.
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I completely agree. You can’t just shut your heart out of all decisions like that. Ideally you give your heart and brain a chance to work together and come to an agreement. Maybe your brain will convince your heart to go with a used sports car instead of the sedan. Or maybe your heart will throw a tantrum and decide that the new sports car is really what you need to have. You just can’t let your heart have it’s way every time.
When the boyfriend and I first got together, we spent wayyyy too much money. We weren’t living like millionaires, but every time something fun came up to do I guess he didn’t know that I wouldn’t care if we just sat at home. He didn’t want me to think he couldn’t afford stuff, so he ended up overspending on me. Now he knows me and knows I’m anal about finances! If we could go back in time we’d probably spend a lot less, but I wouldn’t change the beginning or any part of our relationship for anything.
I hear this kind of story a lot. The guy goes all out trying to woo the girl, putting her ahead of his finances. It becomes a habit that is tough to move on from. You know that if you cut back on spending she might resent it and you both probably end up just really like that carefree lifestyle. This is where some strong communication can help a lot. The problem is that the guy might stretch the truth a bit to impress the girl and try to keep her happy.
I can testify to your tablet example, I actually just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 7 inch. Its a great tablet, works with all my current Google/Android stuff, and it was literally half the price of the cheapest IPad. Is having a “cool, hip” logo on the back of a tablet worth double the price? Not in my opinion.
Glad someone agrees with me there. Apple does an awesome job of brainwashing people into thinking that their products are so much better. They’ve got some of the smartest marketers working for them. Apple has developed such a cult following of people who are completely convinced that if it’s not Apple, it’s a big step down in quality. That simply isn’t the case though. You are paying extra for all those marketing geniuses and the fancier casing.
Jeremy,
Your post reminds me of a story I heard once where the person froze their credit cards in ice, so that any major purchase required a period of time to think about it since they needed to thaw out of the ice cube they were in!
Thanks!
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lol whoever would go to such extremes has some serious problems with self discipline. I assume it wasn’t a fictional story. I would be worry about the extreme cold doing damage to the chip inside the credit card.
I used to be way into emotional spending; if my day wasn’t all sunshine and butterflies I’d go buy lots of stuff. Thanks goodness I don’t do this any more…we just can’t afford that.
As for the girlfriend search, it really depends on what kind of chick you’re looking for. You could always put more photos of yourself on here and maybe meet a hottie reader or blogger chick.
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Haha I’m sure this blog isn’t where I’ll meet the love of my life. I expose way too much personal stuff to keep a woman interested lol. Thinking about it, I think all the women who comment here are all in relationships. Hmmm how do I get the single chicks here? lol
Being from Waterloo (home of RIM) I can’t purchase I have to have a Blackberry. The rest of my products are Apple. I know you feel that they may not be worth it, (and maybe my Ipad is a touch useless), but I would spend the money and get an apple product in a heart beat every time.
Also, the cleaning supply isle in Canadian Tire is my vice. I always spend 100% more than I intended to.
Yeah I understand how people fall in love with Apple products once they get buying them. I just can’t justify their very high prices when comparable products are so much cheaper.
That’s funny that your vice is the cleaning supply isle. You must have a pretty clean home with a vice like that.
Good stuff Jeremy. I’ve only recently stumbled across your blog so I might accidentally comment on an old post
However, with this one in particular – sometimes we get sucked into it. I guess this is what gives rise to the idea of “impulse buying”. Just being there, seeing or holding the product you probably shouldnt buy but end up doing so any ways. I guess it really depends how strict you are with these things – but sometimes walking away from something you’ve really want to buy can be easier said than done.
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No problem about commenting on old posts…that is if you don’t mind late replies
It is incredibly tough to leave our heart out of financial decisions or any other decisions for that matter. For me I generally avoid putting myself in those situations where those things I might want are right in front of me to purchase. Sure I could afford those things, but by now going to those stores my finances are much better off.
I’ve never found it difficult not to spend money – quite the opposite. I don’t buy things unless I really need them (and even then, my wife usually has to force me into it).
I’ve learned to be the same way. I rarely splurge on anything for myself, but my girlfriend does sometimes urge me to buy things that I really need but have been putting off buying.