6 tips to help you decide whether to buy a product
Miscellaneous / / August 11, 2023
First, figure out why you need it and what value it will have.
Some acquisitions do not require much thought. For example, basic foodstuffs have to be bought once a week. Or if the laptop that you need for work breaks down, the appearance of a new one is an inevitable necessity.
But thinking about certain purchases can be a pain, especially if you're not into spontaneous purchases. And not always it depends on the price. You can spend a lot of time deciding whether or not to buy a thing for a couple of thousand rubles, simply because it is not vital. With expensive purchases it is even harder, because you have to give a large amount.
The decision-making process can be accelerated in several ways. They do not have to be used at once, as some have their own specifics, and therefore are suitable for some things and not suitable for others. Moreover, none of these points gives ready-made answers: only the person himself can determine what is valuable to him, what pleases him, and so on. But advice will help rationalize the decision.
1. Assess if you have the money for this purchase
You need to start simple: estimate how much the acquisition will hit your pocket. If you have free funds and this does not prevent you from paying for groceries, utilities, mortgages and other obligatory things, then why not. When the purchase does not threaten your financial well-being, you can afford it.
The task with an asterisk is to determine how the acquisition is friendly with your ambitious goals. For example, you save up for a car and set aside 20 thousand rubles a month. The purchase will cost about the same amount. So the goal will move away at least a month. Ask yourself if this suits you? There is no correct answer here, only you can determine if this option suits you.
2. Consider whether buying will make your life better
It would be naive to mention that money itself has no value - what matters is what we can buy with it. Increasing savings in the account is a way for many to increase their sense of security. If something happens, there are means to minimize the damage. On the other hand, if money allows you to make life more comfortable right now, and even tomorrow and in a year, the acquisition can be worthwhile.
For example, do you hate wash the dishes. In this case, a dishwasher is a great investment: it will help eliminate the annoying component from life. Isn't this a gift you can make yourself?
Or another example. You are a gamer, games help you to have a good time, take a break from the routine and bring joy. You are thinking about buying a new computer more powerful. If your current laptop is old and ungodly slow and you can't play a lot of games, the acquisition will bring you a lot of positive emotions. If your computer is still pulling, you can think about the advisability of spending more money.
When deciding how much a product will make your life better, it is important to consider not only the practical, but also the emotional component. If a purchase will help you be more happy or suffer less, it may be worth it.
3. Consider whether the thing itself or the fact of purchase will please you
Let's continue the previous discussion about emotions. Many people decide to buy for reasons other than owning the item. For example, they are under stress, and the very fact of the acquisition makes them happy. This is definitely a positive emotion, but in this case it is better to refuse the purchase.
It is important to separate what will really bring you satisfaction - the possession of a thing and its use, or the moment when you pay at the checkout or in an online store. If the latter, it’s better to think about how else you can please yourself and relieve stress in less expensive ways.
4. Calculate how much one use will cost
The high cost of goods is a relative concept. For example, you are thinking about buying a new down jacket. You already have winter clothes - not the most comfortable and warm in the world, but you have them. So a quality down jacket looks like a dubious waste, but it costs a lot.
Let's say we are talking about 30 thousand rubles. But in winter 90 days, and it is cold from November to April. Even if you wear a jacket every day only from December to February, one day will cost you 333 rubles. Three winters is already 111 rubles a day. Or take an elegant dress for a conditional 10 thousand rubles. It is unlikely to be worn more than 10 times. So one sock will cost a thousand. A down jacket in contrast looks like a more profitable purchase.
Whether it’s cheap or expensive for you is unknown, only you can answer this question. However, this approach helps to better understand the value of the purchase.
5. Analyze the factors that push you to buy
Don't take marketing tools out of the equation because we're all victims of it to one degree or another. Think about what makes you want to buy the item.
Sometimes the push trigger can be promotion, sale, or "only two items left" badge in the online store. There seems to be no such opportunity to buy again, and this can make us want the thing more than we normally would. If this is the case, it may be worth refusing to purchase.
6. Postpone your purchase
If deciding whether to buy an item or not is not easy for you, take a picture of the item or save it to your bookmarks and do something else. Determine the time after which you will return to the thought of buying.
It is likely that after this period you will no longer feel the same euphoria from the upcoming acquisition as before. And if you do, then rational arguments are unlikely to work here, and you most likely won’t resist buying.
Read also💸
- 8 Thinking Traps That Make You Spend More
- 9 Ways to Enjoy Saving, Not Stress
- Behavioral economics: why we spend money unwisely and what to do about it