Wellness Journalism: You Choose

To buy or not to buy? That is the question. In this capitalist, consumer-driven economy, we are constantly bombarded.

Reasons for picking your own pocket and dropping the extra dollar:

• Peer pressure (Let’s go out tonight! C’mon, it’s Friday! Meet us for dinner!)
• Immediate gratification (That cookie sure looks good. Cool shoes. I’d love a latte!)
• Keeping up with your pals (Do you have the new I-Phone?)

While spending money and getting stuff might be oh-so-much fun, winding up broke sucks. What’s more, if you’re OVERSPENDING, chances are you have nothing to show for it except the dent in your wallet.

I am the type of person who will see a really great t-shirt for ten bucks and buy it. Only ten bucks! That’s almost free! I will also spend ten bucks on a bite to eat, another ten on a movie, ten again on a drink, and ten on the gas it takes to get there. As I look over my transaction history, it turns out that not “ten” but hundreds of dollars have been spent on impulse. Oops.

Next time I reach for my debit card, I have one question. Be honest: do I need it or do I want it? For example, I need to pay rent. I need healthy groceries in my refrigerator. However, I want to go to the movies. I want the expensive thing on the menu. I want those jeans.

Don’t be duped by marketing strategies designed to keep you wanting more. Advertisers are experts and getting into your head and fiddling with the controls until your pockets are inside out. There is always a cheaper way to do things, or alternatives that really and truly cost nothing. Close your wallet, open your mind!

As usual, LiveWell provides handy tools to help you out. Check out these tips for plugging spending leaks and stretching your dollars.

For a clear visual image of your purchasing patterns, print up the Needs v. Wants Worksheet and the Expenses worksheet. Regardless of what you tell yourself ("Only ten bucks!"), the numbers don't lie.