I Must Buy My Needs Not My Wants

I_Love_comps

I have started this thread as I seem to be spending a little too much at present.   So I shall try and only buy what I need and avoid all wants.

YorksLass

Good luck on your journey.  Can I ask if you've thought about how you're going to achieve this, please?

weenancyinAmerica

I make a list of what I need for the month. Not on the list - it better be free, or forget it.

I_Love_comps

By looking for cheaper items. Discounts. Using cashback sites.

Sapindus

I find it helps to look at things I am thinking of replacing, or that I want to buy, and ask myself just how much longer it can wait, really and truly.  The answer is usually at least next week or next month.  Can I mend it, or is there something else I can repurpose to do the job.

[Deleted User]

I don't think there's anything other than steely discipline 😬

I am a very disciplined person and will/can go for months without buying 'wants'.

Re: general items - when i do buy i'll always spend hours searching out the best prices for the thing.

Re: supermarket and food - i only buy the things on my list and those will be the regular weekly needs, my years of discipline mean i don't impulse buy there, i also don't buy takeaways/fast food.

I sound miserably boring with my money but i'm really not !

London_1

An excellent idea, I have four supermarkets site on my laptop and when I go food shopping before I go I check the best price for what I want and list is divided up to corresponding shops.

Luckily for me there is little travelling between them and as a rule I go on a Tuesday morning after I have been to coffee morning which is near to the supermarkets, then once my shopping is done, on the way home I drop off and pick up any library books I want. T
his means at most I perhaps shop for food around twice a month.

This month I did well as I was away for a break from the 12th so I used up everythng I could in the fridge and when I came home by the 17th I had my one and only shop this month I have enough to last me until the new month so have no need for anymore food shopping.
I am very organised and never, or very rarely  buy on impulse ,especially when it comes to food.

Saves a lot of hassle and money and any surplus left at the end of the month goes into a separate account for a'big' shop after Christmas.

I am at present eating my way through the freezer stuff so by post-Christmas I will hopefully have enough wriggle room for some bargains

JackieO xx

OrkneyStar

I find that buying the odd small/cheapish want helps me mostly buy needs.;)

newlywed

I write a list of things I want, things that annoy me, things that might save money (like new led bulbs etc) and each month I decide what I will buy once I get paid. Gives me time to ponder which I want more and which ones are more important. 

But when it comes to food shopping, I struggle to avoid impulse buys.

Rosa_Damascena

weenancyinAmerica said:

I make a list of what I need for the month. Not on the list - it better be free, or forget it.

I love the single-mindedness of this! 

pamsdish

I too am guilty of impulse buying, stopped Amazon prime as that`s too easy, I have this week done freezer stocktakes, so I intend to meal plan around that, apart from any y.s. deals I will only be getting essentials, shopping this morning at Aldi and will decide my weeks menu before I go.