Ask “What If” Before Making an Impulse Buy
To get the most out of your money, you must spend on what you like, not just like it. Easier said than done, of course, but the next time you’re about to make an impulse buy, stop and ask yourself one simple question: What if?
In Becoming a Minimalist, Joshua Becker explains:
Whenever you feel the urge to consume, just ask yourself an abbreviated version of this thought: “What could I have done if I hadn’t made this purchase?”
Each purchase contains an opportunity cost. The question: “What if I don’t do it?” Makes us acknowledge and articulate it.
We’ve talked about opportunity cost before, but I love that it’s just one simple question. When you are about to spend money on impulse, you usually struggle with your emotions, which makes it difficult to stop and think rationally about the idea of opportunity cost. Also, when you ask “what if,” you focus less on what you are missing and focus more on a positive alternative. You just love the idea of not making stupid purchases. Sometimes this thought can be enough to make you realize that this is not what you want.
To find out more about this, head over to Becker’s full post below.
One Simple Question to Ask Before Buying | Become a Minimalist Through Rockstar Finance