I envied my older brother growing up. He could walk in a toy store, perfectly content looking (and not touching) the cornucopia of flashing lights and awesomeness, with me, on the other hand, slobbering on every toy as fast as I could.
So, naturally, he’s always been a better saver. Me? Not so much. Whether you consider yourself a good saver or you’re more like me and you have grand savings “intentions”, everyone has to overcome a spending vice at some point in their life. According to a recent GoBankingRates.com article,
Almost everyone has some sort of vice that plagues them at some point, whether they can’t seem to walk away from the blackjack table or love to take in every stray animal they find on the street. There are certain things we enjoy so much, we cant seem to get enough even if those things do more harm than good.
Here are two of those bad habits that I can immediately identify with:
Gadgets and Flashy Items. Do you need to own every new gadget that gets released? Whether it’s the latest smartphone with all of the bells and whistles or a new e-reader, there are tons of fun gadgets to purchase, even though it’s sometimes best to avoid some of them.
What’s worse, there are even flashier items to get your hands on if you want them. You could be into jewelry, electronics or even fixing up classic cars. All of these items have been notorious for emptying a few pockets.
Even though I’m a huge gadget freak, I can abstain from purchasing most anything over $50. My problem is the access these toys give me. Access to items that are more reasonably priced. I have an iPod touch I use to buy books instantly (thanks Kindle). I am a book freak. Oh, this book is only $9.99. That one too. And that one. And that other one. And, oh, look, another one…for only $9.99! Oops.
Cute But Spoiled Kids. Do you find yourself sighing and rolling your eyes every time you take your cute kids somewhere and discover that they’ll just die if you don’t buy them everything in sight? Sure you love your children, but you don’t have to show it through spending. In fact, spoiled kids can not only drive you crazy, but will most certainly drain your bank accounts.
I don’t consider my kids spoiled. But I’m a sucker. Especially with my girls. And again, I’m ok not spending a ton of money at any given time. It’s the “death by a thousand cuts” that hurts me. A few dollars adds up quickly if you’re spending money every day.
Read about more vices, and a potential cure, at GoBankingRates.com.