Think about what you “have” to do
“I was in an accident and so I had to replace my car”.
I heard that phrase twice in one day, from different sources, and both times I thought the same thing:
No, you CHOSE to replace your car. You didn’t have to replace it, especially if you already owned a second car.
Maybe it would have been inconvenient not to replace it. Maybe you would have had to spend some extra time getting where you wanted to go, or not gone as many places. Maybe you would have had to change your schedule around, get rides from people, or rent a car if you truly needed a car on a particular day.
But unless you are an outside salesperson who drives a hundred miles a day, I doubt that replacing your car is an automatic requirement. (And I even knew an outside salesperson who covered her territory by bus & walking, in a semi-rural area.)
The point isn’t to think of all the reasons you need a car. It’s not really even about cars at all. (That just happens to be the example.)
The point is to think about possible alternatives, no matter how difficult they might be, before automatically assuming that you have to do something.
Take things to the extreme, if necessary.
What if you were completely broke and couldn’t qualify for a car loan and didn’t have any money saved up? In other words, what if you thought you had to replace your car but couldn’t do so?
What would you do then?
Thinking along those lines may bring up possible alternatives that you wouldn’t have otherwise thought of.
And if you don’t like any of the alternatives, at least you’ll have thought about things in depth. Recognize that many things that we think we “have” to do are really choices.
There’s nothing wrong with replacing a car with a car that you can afford, or with buying other items. But really think about it, and consciously make the decisions involved.
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May 4th, 2009 at 9:18 am
People often think in terms of convenience, too often I think. If you have a second car and your initial one gets into an accident then the only reason you NEED to buy one is if the other one needs to be replaced.
Though there is a fine line that needs to be brought up sometimes the alternatives such as bussing it are highly inconvenient. For example my wife is likely to start travelling close to 40 miles accross the city to her job, without a car this is about 3+ hours of commuting. This would mean she doesn’t see our baby. Does she NEED a car, no. But she needs to see her child more than the cost of a car.
With that said its the spending on ‘needs’ that really are more wants than anything else that I think you’re talking about. Good post!
May 4th, 2009 at 10:12 am
People not only confuse a want with a need, they also never want to go backwards in regard to convenience. That’s why when you go car shopping, you’re always aware of the little extras that are thrown in for convenience, such as power windows, backup cameras, power locks, remote mirrors. You could live without them, but become so used to having them that you perceive them as a need rather than a want.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:50 am
Mother Culture tells us that every thing is a NEED. Not true. We are wise to look at each purchase and aski if it is a need or a want. Good post!
May 15th, 2009 at 6:00 am
This is a concept I’m constantly working on with my two daughters. Sometimes, to take this idea a little further, we get into the state of wanting “X” because person A has that, then “Y” because person B has that, and “Z” because person C has THAT.
It’s easy to get into a self-pity party and thinking well EVERYONE has X, Y and Z when we are really comparing ourselves to three individuals. Chances are THOSE three don’t have X, Y and Z either!
I read in a book that the root of most unhappiness is comparisons, rather than enjoying the blessings and abilities that YOU have. I believe this is true, too.
Great post!
May 15th, 2009 at 6:00 am
As much as I try to make “conscious” decisions with my money, I don’t always succeed. Thanks for the reminder this morning!