• naturalLiving
  • activitiesfor kids
  • Easyrecipes
  • yourhome
  • just formoms
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Natural Living
    • Essential Oils
    • Natural Homemade Ideas
    • Natural Solutions
  • Activities for Kids
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Playdough and Slime
    • Sensory Activities
  • Recipes
  • For Your Home
    • Backyard Chickens
    • Easy DIY Projects & Crafts
    • Organizing Tips
    • Tips and Hacks
  • For Moms
    • Caring for Yourself
    • Parenting
    • Product Reviews
    • Travel
  • About
  • Start Here
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • SHOP
↑

Living Well Mom

I help moms with simple, natural ways to look after their families. Find recipes, fun stuff for kids, and simple DIY ideas. Plus natural solutions made easy peasy!

  • naturalLiving
  • activitiesfor kids
  • Easyrecipes
  • yourhome
  • just formoms
  • Start Here
  • About
  • Home
  • Seasonal
  • Essential Oils
  • Natural Solutions
  • Autism

7 Simple Things to Consider Before You Buy Something

By Erika in Home

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This time of year, many of us are cutting back on spending and trying to be smarter with a budget. I’m right there with you.

You’ve probably heard the old question to ask before you buy anything: “Do I really need this?” And it really is a valid question.

But sometimes, we need more motivation beyond that. For those times when we know we don’t really need something, but we want it!

Here are seven simple little questions that have single-handedly helped me curb spending and make wiser choices with money.

They’re especially useful to consider when you find yourself staring at a great sale! And if something passes every single one of these questions, maybe you should buy it without the guilt!

Are you having a tough time curbing spending and sticking to a budget? Here are 7 simple, yet highly effective questions to ask before you buy something that will help you spend smarter, save money, and stick to your budget! this idea now...

7 Things to Consider Before You Buy:

1) Does this item have a purpose?

How often do you buy something because it’s a good deal and you might use it later?
Just because you might use something later doesn’t mean you should buy it. Instead, challenge yourself to make sure everything you buy has a specific purpose.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought “just a few more” organizing bins at Target because I *might* want them later. While I often did use the bins later, I also spent quite a lot of money that wasn’t in our budget, creating more stress and hassle for my whole family. The simple truth is that it wasn’t worth it for a pretty container.

The same goes for mid-year toy clearance deals. It won’t do you any good if you stock up on presents your kids don’t really want, even if it was a steal of a deal.

Unless you have a specific purpose for an item, don’t buy it.

2) How long will this item last?

Have you ever thought about those little toys and do-dads from the Target dollar bins or the dollar store? Often times, those items are so cheap, they break the very next day. Even if something was just a dollar, it’s still a dollar less you now have. While that might not seem like much, it does add up over time if it’s something you regularly do.

That’s not to say that you should never buy cheap toys. Sometimes a $1 package of water balloons can provide hours of fun on a hot summer day. While the balloons will be popped and (hopefully) thrown away by the next day, that might truly be money well spent.

Really think about the long-term use of something before you buy it.

3) How much will we really use this?

This question is true for many items we buy, but toys and clothes are the top things I think about with this question.

I don’t buy fancy dresses or suits for Easter or special occasions for my family. Our church is casual anyways, so my kids would literally only wear the fancy clothes for one day. And even if I found a good deal at a thrift store, I would still have to find something for all four of my kids and that adds up quickly.

I also ask this for anything I buy myself. I love scarves, but I rarely wear them – probably because I’m always afraid I’ll get them dirty between my kids and animals. Since I have 5 or 6 pretty scarves already, I don’t need any more.

The same goes for toys. Does my daughter really need one more stuffed toy? Does Luke need one more toy car? If it’s something they’ll truly cherish and play with often, it may be worth it, but again this is another important question to consider.

4) Will this cause clutter and chaos later?

Whether your home is perfectly organized or completely chaotic and driving you nuts, you will want to consider how buying whatever you’re considering will fit into your home.

Will it truly be used or will it soon become just another toy for you to trip over or knick knack collecting dust?

Last summer, I organized and decluttered our whole house, thanks to following the Marie Kondo “tidying” method. It was a huge project, but well worth it to get sanity back into our home. And because I worked so hard and got rid of so much stuff, I’ve been mindful ever since about what I bring into the house.

I love little stuffed toys and knick knacks and have always purchased them from various places we’ve visited, etc., but I realized last year that I don’t love them sitting around my house.

With that in mind, I was able to say “no” to buying an adorable 6″ stuffed Chewbacca from Kohl’s. This little “Chewy” would roar when you pressed his tummy and it was adorable. Even my husband asked if I wanted this as a Christmas present, but I told him “no” because I knew it would end up as a dust collector on my desk.

A stuffed Chewy might not be your temptation, but consider what does trip you up when you’re shopping. Is it craft supplies? Books or educational toys for your kids? Maybe it’s kitchen gadgets or DVDs.

This is one of my favorite questions for curbing spending! Are you having a tough time curbing spending and sticking to a budget? Here are 7 simple, yet highly effective questions to ask before you buy something that will help you spend smarter, save money, and stick to your budget!

5) Do I want this because a friend has it or is telling me to buy it?

We’ve all been faced with a little friendly peer pressure from friends to buy something. It doesn’t have to be “keeping up with the Jones.” Often times, it might just be your best friend recommending a new workout DVD or a friend asking you to host a jewelry party.

Those “direct sales” companies are some of the biggest culprits here and the companies know it too; how do you think they get so big?! Sure some of the products might truly be great, but how many sales are made because people feel guilty and want to please a friend who is starting a business?

I allowed myself to be guilted into a Facebook party one time and ended up purchasing $25 worth of jewelry. I certainly didn’t need it and when I received it, 3 of the 5 pieces looked nothing like the picture and I hated them. I only wear one set of earrings from that party, meaning I wasted a solid $20 just to please a friend.

There are better ways to be a friend.

6) Do I HAVE to buy this today?

This is another valuable age-old question to ask before you buy. Instead of buying something today, go home and think about it. If you still really want it tomorrow or next week, then it might be something to consider fitting into your budget or saving for.

This is something I always tell my kids, who often want to buy something “now” and it’s important to model this for them.

Usually when you wait to buy something, one of three things will happen:
1) You’ll forget about it, meaning it wasn’t that important to begin with.
2) You’ll find a better deal elsewhere
or 3) You’ll miss out on a deal.

Guess what? In all the times I’ve waited to buy something, I’ve only regretted it a few times. On the other hand, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve regretted overspending because I bought something now.

7) Is there a better option than buying this?

Does your child really need another game even if it is a great price?
Do you really need yet one more blu-ray for your family movie collection?

I purchased an online movie at one point and while it was a decent price, we never watched it. Last week, I discovered our library offers this movie for FREE as a week-long rental.

Often times, there’s great alternatives to buying something. You could borrow a game from a friend, go to the library, even download a free book from Kindle.

Are you having a tough time curbing spending and sticking to a budget? Here are 7 simple, yet highly effective questions to ask before you buy something that will help you spend smarter, save money, and stick to your budget!

By asking yourself these 7 simple questions before you buy something, you can save yourself a lot of time, money, and stress. Think about it the next time you want to buy something impulsively. Is it really worth it?

(Mine is Amazon Lighting Deals and Kohls’ with their 30% off coupons!)

Dear Mom, Join the Living Well Mom Insiders

You’ll get exclusive content, “Sunshine for Your Day,” and more stuff Erika doesn’t share anywhere else!
    By entering your info, you’ll become a LWM Insider! Everything is delivered straight to your email inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Filed Under: Home, Tips and Hacks Published on February 4, 2016

    You May Also Love

    Tired of not being able to find what you need late at night when you have a sick child? Here are 4 simple steps to organizing your medicine cabinet QUICKLY and easily! Plus a fun DIY idea for the inside of your cabinet!
    How to Organize a Medicine Cabinet in 4 Easy Steps
    With both printable and online versions, this free Christmas Gift List will help you stay organized and save money as you track ideas, spending, notes, and easily see what's left to buy.
    Free Christmas Gift List (Printable and Online Versions)
    Row of fresh christmas trees
    How to Keep A Christmas Tree Alive {Quick Tips that Actually Work}

    About Erika

    Erika Bragdon is a flower essence practitioner and a second-generation homeschooling mom with 3 kids at home and 1 in college. She enjoys her chickens, goats, and gardening on a small farm in New Hampshire, and is passionate about sharing flower essences and more ways to renew body, mind, and soul with moms.

    Comments

    1. Mama to 5 BLessings says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:52 am

      Great financial advise. I ask myself before purchasing anything – do I need this and many time’s it’s no which saves me money!

      Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      February 5, 2016 at 10:29 am

      I love this! These are questions we should all ask ourselves before buying anything. I know I have a ton of stuff in my house that I never use.

      Reply
    3. Ellen Christian says

      February 5, 2016 at 11:48 am

      I’ve been trying to be very mindful about what I buy lately. We are really working on downsizing.

      Reply
    4. diane says

      February 5, 2016 at 12:58 pm

      great questions to ask yourself before buying something. I am a huge proponent of simple living and buying less. Second hand is always my first choice for a lot of our day to day items.

      Reply
    5. Brittany says

      February 5, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      Great post. We are back to aggressive savings and I ask myself most of these before a purchase! I’m known to buy something only to take it to a thrift store within the year because I didn’t love it! Terrible, I know!

      Reply
      • Erika says

        February 5, 2016 at 2:35 pm

        I’ve done that so many times too, Brittany.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Erika Bragdon sitting on a bench drinking a drink out of her mug

    Welcome! I’m Erika and I’m the creator behind Living Well Mom.

    More About Erika

    The Latest

    • Easy Homemade Fruit and Veggie Wash (That Actually Works)
    • Chewy Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
    • 32+ Fun Outdoor Activities for Kids (That Will Keep Them Busy!)
    • Bubble Painting – How to Paint with Bubbles
    • Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe (That Your Kids Will Actually Eat!)

    Trending Now

    • playdough in a container Make the Easiest Homemade Playdough Recipe That Lasts for Months {With Video!}

    • outside holding tick spray bottle with dog Simple All-Natural Tick Repellent for Dogs – with Video!

    • Taco Pizza is a great as an easy family dinner (you can even make it the night before) or a tasty appetizer. Kids love this recipe and the cream cheese/sour cream “sauce” and spicy taco flavor are a hit with adults too. Taco Pizza – The BEST Easy Dinner Recipe

    • homemade macaroni and cheese on plate Easy Baked Mac and Cheese Recipe (That Your Kids Will Actually Eat!)

    • big strong homemade bubble solution How to Make Bubble Solution (Easy + Strong Bubbles)

    • Hand pressed into a ball of fluffy slime Fluffy Dish Soap “Slime” (Borax Free)

    • Home
    • Seasonal
    • Essential Oils
    • Natural Solutions
    • Autism

    Living well is a journey not a destination

    copyright ©2025, Living Well Mom. / Site by Pixel Me Designs
    Privacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsDisclaimer
    132 shares
    • 104