The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

re: The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

Xenobiologista — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:05:16 GMT

I agree with the writer and I don't think he's turning into an unhealthy miser. My boyfriend is a huge gamer and he impulsively bought a 6-month subscription to EVE Online ($70) and said he regrets making that long a commitment because he might not be interested in the game that long.

Obviously it's not a good idea to beat yourself up over something that small (unless your kids are starving or something). But realistically, a lot of times advertising, the "cool" factor, and our own gullibility and stress trick us into thinking a purchase is going to be more gratifying than it would be if we had routed the money into something else. As the author pointed out, he has debts to pay off, he wants to get a new car, and he'd also like to get a house at some point.

re: The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

Dan Blank — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:04:41 GMT

I've lived like that, and now realize that there is more to life than guilt over money. If you can't cut yourself a break every now and again, then you may want to start checking your blood pressure and wondering whether your nerves will get the best of you long before your money runs out.

Have a nice day.

-Dan

re: The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

Anthony from Portland — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:27:52 GMT

I totally understand your point; I too have bought something for myself I shouldn't have and then ended up regreting it. However, If you used the Mario Kart game as motivation to save shouldn't you reward yourself guilt free. I think rather than focusing on why you shouldn't have bought the game, you should focus on why you feel guilty. If you saved, invested or snowflaked hundreds of dollars of the course of the first half of 2008 using Mario as a motivator then you deserve the game.

I am a strong believer in reinforcement or motivation as a way to change ones behavior and any animal trainer will tell you that positive reinforcement is by the far the most successful training method over the long term. When you remove the motivator, the positive reinforcement, you undermine the behavior that led to you purchasing the game in the first place: the fact that you had saved and invested prudently during 2008.

I believe that feeling guilty about something that you have truly earned, truly being the operative word, just leads to a unhealthy relationship with money, all be it a different variety than what we are used to in America. Rather then having no control over ones spending and spending excessively, one has too much control. You fear spending under any circumstance which is just as unhealthy as spending to much.

re: The stuff I want versus the guilt I feel after I buy it

WD — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:19:09 GMT

Waaa waaa waaa....just sell the thing on Ebay or Craigslist and get most of your money back. There is plenty of demand for the Wii online.