Questions to Ask Yourself Before Spending!

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Avatar for Eirolfeam2
2 years ago

Whether you agree or not, money is very hard to earn yet it is also very easy to spend. Money vanishes like thin air because everything just keeps getting expensive as time passes by. Because of the high inflation rate, what might be cheap before became a little costly now. And if you don't know how to manage your money wisely, you will end up acquiring debts just so you can purchase your needs for daily survival.

I have read somewhere before that if you keep on purchasing the things you want instead of prioritizing buying the things you need, you will have to sell the stuff you want just so you can afford your needs. I am somehow guilty of this because sometimes, I become a little impulsive buyer who pays for stuff that I don't really need, which means I am spending money for worthless wants.

If we don't have good money-handling habits, it will be hard for us to save some cash that we might need in the future, like fulfilling our dreams and goals in life, or money that we can use in case of emergency or unfortunate events.

In this article, I am going to share with you some of the questions you should ask yourself before spending.

These are the questions I ask personally ask myself before making any purchase decision to help me make more sound conclusions with my purchase behavior.

Since I am planning to buy a new mobile phone or laptop this coming December as a gift to myself, I'll just use it as an example and share some of the questions I ask myself before buying a new one.

Question 1: "Do I really need it?"

We all know that mobile phones or laptops are now a need, not some type of luxury product or a "want" a person should purchase because we can use them every day, especially for a student like me who is having classes online, and also I can use it for work or business purposes. However, I still ask this question to myself because I already have a good phone that still works just fine and an old laptop that is still functioning and buying a new one is not so practical. However, because I'm planning to buy a phone/laptop as a gift for myself, I think it is still a good purchasing decision to buy one because it's a "Need" and some sort of a long-term investment that I can use to earn some money.

Question 2: "Can I really afford it?"

Before I buy anything, I ask myself this important question.

"Can I really afford this?"

As simple as it sounds, this is the best way to stop me to make an unnecessary purchase. Because if I want to buy something, but I am broke, then I won't be able to buy it. Just like what they say,

"If you can't pay it in cash, then you can't afford it."

It's not practical to buy something on credit or acquiring debt.

As for me, before buying a new phone or laptop, I should make sure that there is a budget allotted to it, and that I actually saved for it. If none, then I still have to save money before I can buy it.

Question 3: Is it worth my money?

There is a new popular phone that I have been seeing on Facebook, and I am tempted to buy it. But when I check the price, I get to ask myself,

"Is it worth my money?"

I am the kind of person who doesn't want to spend money on unworthy products, and when I buy something, I make sure that every penny that was spent will be put to good use.

I don't know if this is just me, but buying an iPhone or Macbook is not so practical. I'd rather buy an android phone or a cheaper brand of laptop that gives the same benefits. (Don't mind this part. I just really can't afford it. Hahaha! šŸ¤£)

Question 4: How can I buy it at a cheaper price?

I know when buying a new phone, we want to buy a brand new one. But for me, as part of my saving strategy, I buy a second-hand phone that still looks like a brand new mobile phone. I bought my old phone Oppo F5, which is now a backup phone, at a cheaper price compared to if I bought it at its mall price. It's been almost 4 years and it still works just fine. I did the same thing when I bought the phone I am currently using and it's been serving its purpose for 1 year and 4 months now.

Others might think it looks cheap to buy a second-hand phone, but hey, that's how I get to save money, and the usage of the phone is just the same as the phone I will buy at the mall. It's not being cheap, it's about being practical. Hahaha! šŸ˜¹


That's it! These are the main questions I usually ask myself before spending money, or before I buy something.

I am an Ilocana and people label us as "kuripot" (stingy) but it's not totally true. We actually just know how to spend our money wisely because money is hard to earn. We make sure that every penny we have is spent to good use.

It's okay to buy the things you want once in a while because money is just a tool that is supposed to be spent anyway. But make sure to prioritize your needs and save up for your future self too.

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Avatar for Eirolfeam2
2 years ago

Comments

Thank you for this very informative article. i admit, i am a big spender. I even was hooked into online loans which made my life so miserable.. which came to a point that i cannot provide what my family needs. I am always angry and guilty towards not being honest to my partner. Now, i slowly paid my online debts. I am praying that I can get over from this mess.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Awww. That's so sad to hear but I'm glad you're already paid with your debts. Surely, you will get over it and will be in a better situation. šŸ’š

$ 0.00
2 years ago

I really have to agree to your writing, money is like a Spirit, hard to earn and easy to spend... One needs wisdom to be able to handle money well

$ 0.01
2 years ago

That's true.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Hehehe i'm also looking for cheap price stuffs whenever i usually went market. Money maintenance is the key point for everyone. And you've reflected everything gist point to point. As usual another blast of you

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Cheap price is very helpful to save tho. šŸ¤£ Thank you for reading.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Thanks for the reminder sis. My partner is has an Ilocano blood, he is good at managing our finances too :)

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Aww. That's good to know po. šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

:D

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Your questions and answers are very accurate. But here we have a problem with used equipment, many times they are scams, it happened to a close person who bought a used phone in excellent condition with the documentation in order, the person who sold is family of a policeman, then came several policemen looking for the phone that supposedly had stolen, well the cops lend themselves to this practice, corruption advances.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Aww. That's too bad. Always have a background check before buying 2nd-hand stuff.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

I agree, specially ladies spent lavishly for the thing they are not in utmost need of it, which will only put them into debt. These tips are really helpful.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Hahaha! Not all ladies tho. But yeah, mostly girls spend on unimportant stuff. šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

One main reason why when I have money I spent it all hahahha buying anything

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Oh my. Don't spend it all. Save some too. šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Kuripot ako kapag cash pero kapag may balance ako online nagagastos ko lang palagi magpa member sa coding. Di ko naman natatapos yung sa busy ng sched. Hahaha.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Sayang naman. Hahaha! Pero same, kuripot ako sa cash kasi wala din naman akong cash, kaya sa Shopee bumabawi. šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Hindi na ako nag-install nang Shoppee para malayo sa temptations. šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Agree ako sa hirap kumita ng pera pero kay darling gastusin. Medyo nabudol din kasi ako ngayon ng payday sale sa shopee. At minsan talaga mapapa gastos ka talaga kapag sale kasi mura mga kailangan natin. Hirap din akong mag budget kaya itong article mo ay napaka laking tulong sakin. Dahil dito may basis na ako tuwing gagastos ako whether online or sa mga physical store para mag grocery.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Shopee talaga ang galing mambudol. Tipong hindi naman need, pero mapapabili parin. Hahaha! šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Kaya nga po eh hahaha. Nagpabudol lang din naman sana ako kasi kailangan ko ng gift sa partner ko para anniv namin next month. Kaso lang nanaig din ang wants saka needs. Kaya ayun nabudol ako nung payday sale haha.

$ 0.00
2 years ago

I like the way you put it, "it is just being practical", I agree with you. I'll admit that if I had enough money to spend, I would definitely go for iPhone 13, but after giving it a really good thought, I just realise that I can get everything I need from that phone in an even cheaper phone (except for the Camera quality) even then I don't really take pictures. That is being practical. It involves cutting your coat to your size.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

The iPhone13 is just so expensive one can build a house in the Philippines out of its price already. šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

When buying things I always consider not only the quality but the price .. I don't like buying expensive stuff. I guess the only expensive thing I have is my phone. Lol. I'm minimalist and don't like hauling stuff especially if not really necessary.. I am more on the important things and less seldom buy my wants..

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Ah. Samee. Hindi ko afford mga branded clothes and shoes. Wahaha! šŸ¤­šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

that's why i always end up not buying anything.. because of those questions hahaha.. but when it comes to food I go all out :)

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Food is life po. No need to have second thoughts on food. šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

I'm guilty of over-buying some times... because we have so many festivals here, stuff be sold at very low prices.. can't control myself haha.. I'm slowly trying to change that habit

$ 0.02
2 years ago

As long as they are useful items, they're still a good buy. Hahaha! šŸ˜¹

$ 0.00
2 years ago

haha I have dresses bought before years and not used, so some of them are useless too lol

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Hahahaha! Same here. They're stuck in the closet. šŸ¤§šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

2 days ago I was arranging mine and saw clothes I didn't even know I had lol.. seriously, I need to stop buying clothes

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Be a responsible spender nlng talaga. Haha. Wag papabudol lage.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

True po. Time to uninstall Shopee and Lazada na. šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago

This is really timely for me,I always have a hard time with budgeting my money,most of the time Iā€™m always short before the payday arrive,hehe.

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Aww. I hope you will budget your money wisely so you won't be short anymore. Ehehe

$ 0.00
2 years ago

Super agree talaga ako sa "hirap hanapin ang pera pero madali lang i-spend". Kapag yung yung papel na pera mo kapag na barya na, wala na, dali na niyan maubos. Ngayon, medyo napagastos ako sa Lazada 10.10 sale.hahaha

$ 0.02
2 years ago

Totoo po yan. Bilis na maubos kapag nabaryahan na eh. Hahaha! Okay lang po yan. May next month pa. šŸ¤£

$ 0.00
2 years ago