This seems so simple, really. You walk into a store – maybe you have a certain goal in mind or maybe you’re just browsing, when all of a sudden something catches your eye. You look at it and think, “I never even knew something like this existed! I could use this to….”
And that’s where you make a terrible mistake.
It’s not something you ever knew you wanted, but all of a sudden you’re in the store and it’s in front of you, and it’s all you can think about. You could, if you wanted (and assuming you have cash or a credit card handy), take this object of your here & now desire home with you this very day. Fast forward 6 months later and you’ll find this object either (1) still in the original packaging/still with the original tags, untouched or (2) shattered to pieces/torn to shreds because it was poorly made in the first place.
Long uninteresting story, but today (unintentionally and for 2 hours) I found myself stuck at a craft/antiques store with a lot of - well – crap. Old trinkets, outdated gadgets, stuff stuff stuff just waiting for their next unsuspecting victim. I almost gave in on a couple of occasions – after all, who wants to feel as though their 2 hours at a store were completely in vain? I resisted though, and you know what? I actually felt better for not having anything to show for my time “shopping,” as though I have very high standards (maybe I do?) and this stuff just wasn’t worthy of my money.
In thinking about the situation (and I had a lot of time to think), here were some of the questions I forced myself to ask:
- Will I, without making a drastic change in my lifestyle, actually use this item? Think about it – will the number of times I use this item and/or the amount of joy produced by this item actually be worth it on a per use or per moment of happiness basis?
- Is this thing actually worth the price being asked or is this just someone trying to make a buck off of something that is actually just C-R-A-P? At least one easy way to do this is to mentally link the phrases ”Made in China” with “Made with Lead Paint”. Other suggestions? Mentally link “[Insert Your Favorite Overpriced Brand Here]” with “Baby Seals Died For Your Enjoyment”… ok, I don’t know.
- Conversely, am I only buying this because it’s cheap? Would I still buy this item if it were twice the price? Quadruple the price?
- Have I done my research? Am I sure this is the brand/model/color/features I want? Can I get a better price elsewhere, and if so, is it worth it to own the item here and now versus waiting a week or two to shop around? Sure, you can “always return it” but let’s face it – it’s easier (and cheaper, since you only stand to make out worse in the deal) if you just never bought it in the first place.
- Lastly, and only to be used in the most extreme cases: if I were to disappear immediately following my shopping trip, would I be ok with my “Last Known Whereabouts” description reading: ”Last seen buying a 75% off plastic lawn gnome and discontinued ‘reduced for quick sale’ ground beef from Aldi’s on Route 90″?
This sounds so easy, but it isn’t. I know! I’ve been there. The albino squirrel taxidermy “art” was easy to resist, but there were others that weren’t so easy. Really think about your purchases though, and hey, if all else fails and you ended up buying that lime green parka only to regret it 3 weeks later, you can always return it.
