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Sometimes we find ourselves caught up in wanting “things” and we may struggle with whether or not it’s ok to justify our spending even though it’s not an immediate need.  Here are 4 steps to evaluate and hopefully help aid you in your decision.

1. How badly do you want it? If you find yourself wanting something because you saw it advertised or hear a friend talking about it, ask yourself how badly you really want it.  Are you willing to save up for the item so you don’t have to charge it on a credit card or disrupt your budget?  The immediate sense of wanting something can often cloud your judgment, so give yourself a week or so to think about whether or not you really want it and how much use you would really get out of it.
2. Do you want the thing or the BRAND? You convince yourself that you need a new iPod because you love music and want to be able to compile all your music into one central spot for ease of listening to.  Is it that you want an iPod (a brand) or simply an MP3 player?  There are a variety of MP3 players that do essentially all the same things as an iPod, and priced much lower.  Are you paying for the brand or can you settle for an item of the same concept without the brand loyalty?
3. How long will the item last? Sometimes you’ll see something that you just HAVE to have right NOW.  Step back and take a closer look at it.  How long will this item last you?  Will you be able to get your money’s worth out of it?  There are some things that are priced quite high and yet are made cheap.  Wouldn’t you hate to spend $x.xx on the “thing” only to have it fall apart a month later?  Make sure you’re getting what you pay for.
4. Do you already have plenty of things just like it? The best example of this is clothing.  I’ve caught myself before trying on a super cute pair of jeans or a jacket that I love and feel that I just have to have.  Yet, I have 10 pair of jeans and 3 jackets at home in my closet.  I really don’t need another pair of jeans.

If you can answer all these questions while being honest with yourself and possibly even coming to a compromise, you may find that you aren’t spending as much money on “stuff”.