Do you ever get caught in the cycle of “see it, want it, and buy it?” Before you spend you haven’t stopped to think through what you’re buying. Now you not only have a new purchase that’s all yours, but you also have a high monthly payment to go with it.
Let’s overcome that spending habit with these 5 practical questions to ask yourself before spending a substantial amount of money. Practical questions that will help you truly understand the enormity of the decision, and help you make the decision that is best for you and your family.
Question 1: “Do I Need This?”
Pausing to ask, “Do I need this?”, can prevent a lot of poor spending decisions. I’m not saying that I never purchase things that are pure “wants” – I am saying that when I ask the key question, I make much smarter overall decisions.
This question becomes a “gatekeeper” of sorts. Something to help prevent impulsive spending.
BONUS: Wait overnight before answering the question! It is amazing the clarity that a good night of sleep will bring to a spending decision!
Question 2: “Will This Item INCREASE Or DECREASE In Value?”
Chewing gum goes down in value. So do cars, 4-wheelers, refrigerators, swimming pools, and clothes.
Businesses can go up in value. So can houses, land, antiques, mutual funds, company stocks, bonds, and intellectual property (patents, licenses, etc).
Here is what I KNOW: Not all of your purchases can be for items that increase in value, but if ALL of your purchases go down in value – something ain’t right!
BONUS: Find someone you know who is prospering with their investments. Invite them to lunch (pay for his/her lunch) and ask them to mentor you! They will probably LOVE IT!
Question 3: “Do I Have The Money To Pay CASH For This Item?”
I know that the day I started asking this question was THE DAY that my family started winning with money.
If I do not have the cash to pay for it, I’m not buying it UNLESS it is a house or an asset that will increase in value (like a business, rental house, etc). Even then, the answer is still usually “NO!” unless I have all of the money available to pay cash.