As far as I know, I’ve never really asked myself this question before. I usually just ask, “Should I spend money on this?” But I don’t ask the more general, “Why spend money on something in general?”
It’s an interesting question for me especially because a lot of things are free now. So often it’s a decision between tracking down what I want for free or buying it now.
Of course, many, many things still cost money and don’t have free substitutes. So which ones should I pay for… which ones should I do without?
How do you decide?
As a poor student (or soon to be a poor student) who is finishing up a year of volunteerism with Ameri*Corps, if I can find it free, I don’t spend the money on it!
Other than that, I made a budget, a very strict budget, that I follow each month (with cash). If what I want to buy fits in that budget, I can buy it. If not, then I have to either decide to save up for it or go without.
But as for what I decide to buy within those constraints, it’s usually coffee and books. Coffee because it makes me a decent human being. Books because I am addicted. Plus, how can you go wrong with a good book? 🙂
Most of what I purchase dwells within the land of necessity. Otherwise, I also try to see if it fits with my mandate of people coming first (so I also spend money–limited amounts–on social occasions).
And as you can see, I have clearly responded to a blog with a blog… 😉
I spend too much. That’s just a fact.
Right now I am pretty much focusing on necessities. As I am trying to pay for college, most of my money either goes toward schooling or one of my business ideas.
Thankfully we have a large public library, so I can get a large supply of books for free.
But what is really necessary?
I haven’t seriously bought new clothes in five or six years. I didn’t buy college textbooks. Even food… you can always eat rice and beans? You can turn up your thermostat, take shorter showers, get a bicycle instead of driving.
In other words, that’s exactly what I wonder about. Like what’s actually necessary? Because as I see it, I really don’t have much that’s strictly necessary… it’s all just stuff I want to various degrees.
Just something I’m thinking about, not necessarily questions directed at you. Thanks for the thought-provoking thoughts. :>)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Spending too much is in the eye of the beholder. :>)
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Thanks for the input. That’s a good question too, Nate. For your businesses, what do you pay for and what do you try to workaround? What’s worth the cost to you?
I’ve wondered about that from a blogging perspective. I have hosting costs, email costs, domain costs, advertising costs… even education costs, and I wonder where it’s okay to go cheap and where I need to plunk down the cash.
By the way, nice job going with the free books too.
-Marshall Jones Jr.