We live in an age where the purchaser has the power. The buyer, the consumer, the spender makes his own decisions. Right? Well, that’s how it should be, but many times it isn’t. In today’s economy, although we live in a consumer culture, the advertiser and seller has a surprising amount of power. Some things just don’t make sense to buy.
Here are the top 5 things you should never buy under any circumstances.
This goes for most fads. Nearly every problem in life has an ancient, proven solution. However, most real solutions include hard work. This is especially true for exercise. Free weights and cardio exercise at the gym are by far the most effective forms of exercise. So, skip the shake weight and go for a jog on your own street. Buy a pair of dumbbells and you’ll see the best body improvements for the least amount of cost.
My girlfriend disagrees with me here, but one day she may admit that she is wrong. Unless the brand is known for high-quality, what you are most likely paying for is a name! You wouldn’t pay two employees different salaries because one has a better name, would you? So, treat material things like they are – MATERIAL THINGS. If you desire accolades or respect, then work on your personality, not what you are able to purchase. This never made sense to me. But then again, my girlfriend says I don’t make any sense…. so this choice is up to you. I advise you choose not to buy brand names.
One of the biggest money wasters in life is eating out. I understand the importance of socializing and celebrating once in a while, but when eating out becomes an excuse for laziness, then you are just tossing your money away. If you buy food at a grocery store and learn to cook, you literally will save thousands of dollars this year. So, buy a cookbook instead of hitting the Outback, and learn to grill your own steak!
This includes the latest cell phones, TVs, computers, etc. Electronics are never an investment. Technology is one of the things that always improves, so everything existing today will inevitably be worth a great deal less tomorrow (except the very few collectible items). Try to wait at least 6 months before you buy a brand new toy and one of three things will happen. One, you will realize you never wanted the item in the first place and won’t even buy it. Two, the item will grow out of style, like most electronics, and you won’t buy it. Or three, you will buy it, but you will save almost 50% of the original cost!
This is by far the worst thing to buy. Car advertisers must be the most intelligent people in the world. What would it take me to convince you to burn $5,000 cash? I would have to be some sort of manipulative genius in order to achieve that gut-wrenching feat. However, if you’ve ever bought a brand new car, that is exactly what the advertisers have convinced you to do in the 10 seconds it takes for you to start the car up and drive it out of the auto dealership!
The difference between a new car and a one-month-old used vehicle is the price difference. Yes, if you buy a brand new car the day it comes out, people on the roads will envy you as they pass you by on the streets. But what do you care about strangers anyway? Plus, this feeling lasts only a couple months as new models come out every week of the year.
Save yourself from the biggest money waster and do not ever buy a new car. All cars are liabilities, but the best way to save money on a car is to buy one that is 3-6 years old. These models will still be trendy, and the steepest depreciation value will have passed.
Article by:
-K.W.
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