I was shopping at Tyson’s Corner (a giant mall in Northerv Virginia) and went into a store I had never visited before, Martin + Osa.
A lady approached me and asked if I would complete a survey about Martin + Osa clothing. The survey would take an hour, and I would have to try on 10 pieces of clothing. For my time, I would receive a $75 AmEx gift card (these gift cards work like a debit card).
I decided to complete the survey because
- I had nothing in particular to do in the next hour on a Sunday afternoon.
- $75 is more than my current hourly wage*.
- This would be an opportunity for me to try on a lot of clothes in the store and decide if I like the store.
My conclusion: I liked a few of the sweaters but not at the prices they were selling for.
I spend the $75 the very next day on a lamp for my “library” (I rearranged my apartment so that what used to be my dining room is now a small library). The original lighting was harsh and not so pleasant for reading.
* A quick way to compute your hourly wage is to take your annual wage, drop the last three digits and divide by 2 (really, this is dividing by 2,000, which is 50 weeks times 40 hours/week)
In the mail recently, I received a letter telling me that I “deserve the opportunities that come with a larger credit line” and that my credit line has been automatically increased by 20%.
What the credit card issuer might have in mind is a vacation to celebrate finishing grad school, a shopping spree for a wardrobe for my new job, or buying all new furniture for my new apartment. What I have in mind for what I deserve is safety, love, and nourishment.
I cringe when I hear people say they “deserve a new TV” or even a new car. An ex-boyfriend tried to convince me to get a new car because I worked hard and “deserved” better than my old leaky Saturn (rain water dripped directly on the front passenger seat). But the car was otherwise in great shape, and if my parents had not insisted I drive (and given me) a new car, I would still be driving the leaky Saturn.
What this really comes down to is how we understand and explain our purchases. A common way to sort all purchases uses two categories: “needs” and “wants.” Anything that you say you “deserve” probably falls in the “wants” category.
I propose four questions to help decide whether or not to buy a “want.”
- Did I already know that I wanted to buy this? or is an effective, sneaky marketing strategy at work?
- Will I use it regularly?
- Is it fabulous? is it well made, does it fit my lifestyle, am I sure it will not go out of style next week?
- Can I afford it? is there enough discretionary spending money in my bank account today?
If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, do not make the purchase today. Think about it, and maybe the purchase will make sense next week or next month.
When you get back from your next shopping trip without buying anything you “deserve,” take a seat and kick your feet up — you deserve it.
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