Having trouble deciding whether you should blow money on that new gadget? Budgets Are Sexy has a simple test that might help.
Picture: Shutterstock
When you are thinking of purchasing something, imagine a stranger holding the item you are thinking of buying in one hand, and the cash equivalent in the other. Which one would you take?”
You might find that you prefer to keep the cash for more important things later on. It obviously doesn’t apply in every situation, but it’s a clever way to think about big purchases. Hit the link for some other interesting “tests” that can keep you from impulse purchases.
Two Kick-Arse Spending Tips [Budgets Are Sexy]
Comments
3 responses to “Make Smarter Purchases With The ‘Stranger Test’”
The “stranger” test:
Sit on your arm until your hand goes numb. Purchase the item with that hand. It will feel like someone else is doing it.
This is American, right?
You should always take the cash. Cash doesn’t lose value. If you offered someone a car worth 60 grand and a briefcase with 60 grand in it only an imbecile would take the car.
This is a perfect example of a lifehacker article: find someone else’s article and repost it with no critical analysis.