I can’t pass up a good deal
Have you ever bought something you didn’t need just because it was a great deal?
What leads us to purchase a bread maker that is on clearance at 75% off, knowing it will sit unused on the counter? Why does the thrill of a bargain get us so excited?
My local grocery store had the store brand microwavable macaroni packets on sale “buy one get one free”. The word “FREE” always get my heart pumping, and the items end up in my cart. One is free! Can you get any better than that? Now I have twice as many! Only a fool would pass on free stuff, right?
It turns out the store brand was not a hit at my house, so now two boxes sit unused in the pantry. The kids would rather starve than eat what they describe as “hot cardboard with sauce”. Did I save any money with my bargain? No, not if they are not going to eat it.
Unused items = clutter
The excitement of a bargain can lead to irrational purchases. I’m guilty of purchasing items for the house while being fully aware I have no place to put them. Garage sales finds often fit this category. I remember the kids coming home with an electronic basketball game that took up 1/3 of my son’s room. The thrill of the find trumped the idea it might not fit anywhere.
Unnecessary items just become clutter in the house. Combat this rationale by making a conscious decision to stop and question each bargain purchase. Am I really going to use this?
Are impulsive buys causing clutter in your home?
The next time you pass the “tableclothes $1.99 each” bin, resist the urge to stock up on ten of them just because they are cheap. Do you really need ten? Who needs ten tablecloths? Wouldn’t one or two be just fine?
Predictably irrational
I just finished reading Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Here is an entertaining talk Dan Ariely did which gives you a taste of what is in the book. Grab a cup of coffee and take a few minutes to enjoy it. He is delightful speaker, and it is time well spent.
Knowledge is power
After reading “Predictable Irrational” I feel more informed, and I am able to see decision-making in a new light. Is it possible that I will avoid some shopping traps that I couldn’t in the past? I think so. I will attempt overcome the irrational, impulsive decision to purchase things I won’t use and avoid marketing gimmicks.
I’m currently reading Dan’s most recent book The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home
What was your most irrational purchase?
I soooooo need some organization in my life. Love your blog. Will be back often!
Cheryl recently posted..Role models
Thanks Cheryl!
I used to buy books because they were cheap, but I did try reading them. Nowadays I’m a lot more selective, but a few of those unreadable books are still lying around.
ashok recently posted..Margaret Levine- “A Man I Knew”
I’m not sure I would ever think of books as a bad purchase.
Thanks Ashok!
Hi Melinda
This sounds exactly like me, I cannot pass up a bargain and yes it is causing a huge problem. Thanks for letting us know about the book, I think I am going to have to pick that one up, not just for my irrational purchases;)
Jenny recently posted..Humor For Humpday – The Internet Overdose Song
lol Let’s just say buying the book can’t be classified as an irrational purchase. It is immune from that category.
Great Post. This really hit home and I want to check out that book. I am so guilty of buy one get one free and thinking it’s great, or buying things at a yard sale that are cheap but end up being my clutter or bargain priced things in stores. Thanks for this post.
Stacy recently posted..Super Savers
Some crazy things have come into my house. I finally said “if you go garage sale shopping, what you bring back can’t be bigger than a bucket” – after the giant electronic game incident.
I was going to say I don’t fall into this category!
but thinking about I do. Books are my passion, and I have been known to buy a book just because it has a gorgeous cover. I read all sorts of books and used to buy 3/4 every week. Not that I read them all in that week, I have a pile of 15 books waiting to be read. I’m not really into materialistic things and only buy what I need. Except for books 
I can walk past every bargain in a store and walk out empty handed.
Maria Muir recently posted..The One Flaw In Women – Friday Inspiration
I’m the same way. I tend to have 10 books at a time that are waiting to be read. I do make the decision to keep some, and the rest I sell on half.com after I read them. Otherwise I would be drowning in them regardless of three bookshelves.
OMG Melinda, this is a wake up call for me.You were describing me in your post…I have tge same thought and feeling when I pass by discounts and special offers ..just now I was in the store and found this big can if Tang juoce powder have the price and with it cute red cooler ,although it seems to me silly now but I almost buy it although I don’t need any more juice or the cooler, I’m glad that I over come the urge.
Few months I was Stopped by a near electronics store to buy headphones only but I came out with an iPod and a 2 headphones just because there was a 30% discounts on that iPod ,I thought to my self it’s true I have one plus my iPhone but it would be a great gift for someone!!!!
Now to over come my irrational shopping I an thinking not to carry a credit cards with me , only cash that is just about enough for my daily,if I needed more ,then I have to go to the bank or go home to bring my credit card…
I have heard to leave credit cards at home so that you can think over the decision during your trip home. When my kids have money to spend, I tell them they have to think about it for a day. More than once they have changed their minds and saved their money after giving it more thought. This was especially helpful when my daughter wanted to keep wasting her money away on stuffed animals.
I must say, I fight the urge to make irrational purchases. When I see the “buy one get one free” I ask myself if I will actually benefit from this deal. Often, the answer is “no”. As in your case, many of the freebies don’t go over well in my family, so I don’s make the purchase.
First of all there are several things around here (p.s. I didn’t buy them) that are still in the box. To name a couple 3 of them would be a crockpot, a hotdog grill machine, several boxes of dishes and so on. My my my how I wish someone in this house would understand. I just had this discussion with my sister over the phone a couple days ago about the clutter and unused things at that. Crazy!
On to the video. Probably the most important 20 mins I’ll spend all week was listening to Dan. I kept looking at the time and as it got closer to 16 then 16 1/2 mins. I was like no, don’t end yet!! Seriously I really do enjoy listening to these type of workshops ect. I had not heard of him and will seek out his books to spend time with away from here. LOL Again thanks for sharing Mel.
Lee recently posted..Going Against the Grain
Oh boy, Lee..that made me laugh. Dan’s books are awesome. I find his work so fascinating, and I was thrilled to find a video of him speaking about it. I think I watched it 3 times and then forced my children to watch it…hoping it would help them make better decisions.
Hmm…I wonder if that “someone” needs a “certain” book under the Christmas tree. ha ha
Melinda recently posted..Cool Find Friday 3
BTW I failed to mention that didn’t effect my daughter’s decision to purchase virtual clothes and items in the game she plays. We will see how she regrets that decision when she wants a real shirt.
Quit it… LOL now that made me laugh… I had to read it twice. lol. Let me be glad that that someone doesn’t know about the virtual things they could purchase..
Lee recently posted..Going Against the Grain
I’m not often an impulse buyer, but I do have my moments. I have been an impulse buyer in my past, and I’m lucky I grew out of that and paid off all that debt. Scary moments when things got tight, I can tell you. Having said that, though, if double stuff Oreos are on sale…
Mitch recently posted..Sunday Question – Should We Reward Egregiously Bad Behavior
LOL Mitch! Well…who can pass up double stuffed Oreos? That’s one item that doesn’t have a chance to clutter up anything. They have a shelf life of about 6 hours in my house.
Very interesting article, thanks. Keep up the good work.
Really nicely put article Melinda. I can’t count how many times i bought something that i ABSOLUTELY did not need just because it was a great deal. But at the end of the day, paying 10 bucks for something worth 50 is useless, if you’re never gonna use it
So true.
I have to admit that I have fallen victim to my own irrational purchase decisions more than once. Sometimes I see it beforehand and catch myself. Other times I don’t see it until after I have spent the money.
I absolutely love these TED videos. I have learned so many things form them and so much personal insight. Videos like that are adding real value to the web.
Kathy recently posted..I Am A Firm Believer In Helping Other Bloggers Out
I’m an admitted TED talk addict. They are always so fascinating!
I love this post. I posted it to my profile on face book, twitted it and stumbled. Great job.
Thanks
After buying a lot of things that i didn’t need, I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing is free. It’s all a strategy to make you buy more even if you need it or not. Now, I’m making a list every time i go shopping and I try to stick to it.
I 100% agree with Mia. The only sure-fire way to avoid walking out of pretty much any store is to go in with a list and have the discipline to stick to the list. It does take some time to be able to actually do this. There is always the “Oh, this looks good” temptation. Keep walking. Nothing to see here. They say it takes 30 days to create a habit. If you can go 30 days with this discipline, you will save money and reduce the amount of “must have” stuff in your house that just gathers dust. Oh, and never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. But everyone knows that one already.
David recently posted..Video: How To Choose a Financial Planner
This post is so true! I definitely feel an excitement about getting a great sale. In fact I’ll be heading to my local Borders tomorrow to get a steal on some books. I’ll put your tips to the test and see if I come home with 3 books or 15. Wish me luck!
That Dan Ariely video is a great watch. I am definately going to pick up that book. Do you know if you can get it as an audio book as I’m always on the move.
Yes it comes in an audio version