Discussion Do you find spending money therapeutic?

Jul 27, 2020
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I'm not sure if I'm the only one who has this problem. Whenever I'm feeling down, I just get online and buy something I like and it makes me feel better. My PS3 was a sudden purchase done at the end of a depressing day and it really lifted my spirits and brought me years of joy. Do chime in with your experiences.
 
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pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
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Yeah, to a degree. Generally it's only small sums involved though, rarely at the level of a PS3. More like second-hand CDs. The problem is not the money spent so much as the amount of crap accumulated.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,227
9,990
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Oh yeah! That's how I ended up with two routers, and seven video cards this month.

Edit: I didn't order all seven video cards this month, but I'm still paying them off.
 
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Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
11,567
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My spending beast has been sufficiently tamed and thus urges to buy new shit for the sake of getting it is totally gone.
 

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,504
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My spending beast has been sufficiently tamed and thus urges to buy new shit for the sake of getting it is totally gone.

Or, you can, you know, buy from Amazon and then return it after you've gotten the "feelz" out of the purchase. Concentrating on Amazon's Warehouse items, for example, tends to take the "you're screwing up the system by buying and returning" as the items are all "used."
 
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lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,364
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I like buying stuff, but if I don't need it, I don't buy it. Currently waiting on kippered herring, a bike pump, and a saddle.
 
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Pohemi

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
8,613
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Endorphins.

Spending money and/or obtaining new goods can produce them. Some people end up craving it, and it can become an addiction.

/thread
 
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Stiff Clamp

Senior member
Feb 3, 2021
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NOt really. But it does satisfy that provider instinct. I like browsing/hunting around looking for solutions, just to pass my downtime productively - but it leads to me discovering and buying stuff I don't actually need (hmm what have we here? how can i use THAT?). And grows my list of wants. Hooray for temptation. It's why I bought a RGB projector lamp when I have no need for colored lighting. I AM all about ambiance though.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
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I have lots of space to store things, but really don't want to buy much of anything unless it's something I need and am getting for much cheaper than I could find later. I just browse the deal websites and Amazon (and warehouse) to keep my eyes peeled for things I want/need. I normally don't have impulse buys anymore because I've accumulated enough junk that I really don't want more junk.

At some point, throwing stuff away gives just as much joy as buying.
 
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brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,202
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i'm the opposite, i feel terrible for spending almost any money

i have managed to get my total spending to about %15 of gross income

i live a little better than i did in college while making 15x as much
 
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Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
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Or, you can, you know, buy from Amazon and then return it after you've gotten the "feelz" out of the purchase. Concentrating on Amazon's Warehouse items, for example, tends to take the "you're screwing up the system by buying and returning" as the items are all "used."
Oh, I do that plenty of times for the likes of appliance motors and other parts.

Not too much though, or else Amazon might whack your account.

I don't need Dave Ramsey. My mom knows when to shut down buying. She won't ever buy tofu at $2 a pound. Some of that obviously rubbed off.
 

pmv

Lifer
May 30, 2008
12,974
7,891
136
I have lots of space to store things, but really don't want to buy much of anything unless it's something I need and am getting for much cheaper than I could find later. I just browse the deal websites and Amazon (and warehouse) to keep my eyes peeled for things I want/need. I normally don't have impulse buys anymore because I've accumulated enough junk that I really don't want more junk.

At some point, throwing stuff away gives just as much joy as buying.

Oh, I _hate_ throwing things away. I can just about force myself to give things to charity shops (on the grounds that I'm "doing good"), but throwing things away is almost physically-painful.

I really don't have to spend very much money to get that retail-therapy buzz, but that "space for storing things" part is the killer, and eventually I find myself needing to get rid of things again.

For a while I sold a lot of stuff on Ebay, which felt satisfying, but was also a ridiculous amount of work. So many different things that can go wrong with that process.
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,389
1,777
126
Oh, I _hate_ throwing things away. I can just about force myself to give things to charity shops (on the grounds that I'm "doing good"), but throwing things away is almost physically-painful.

I really don't have to spend very much money to get that retail-therapy buzz, but that "space for storing things" part is the killer, and eventually I find myself needing to get rid of things again.

For a while I sold a lot of stuff on Ebay, which felt satisfying, but was also a ridiculous amount of work. So many different things that can go wrong with that process.
I agree with that....I can't stand wasting certain things, but life is short and sometimes it's worth throwing old junk out just to de-clutter. I have a bunch of tools that I got use out of. Many of them are specialized and I'll never pick them up again. They may have a use, but they may not work good enough to sell and/or may need small repairs. You can refurbish a lot with evaporust and wd40. For example, an adjustable wrench may rust up and need to be sprayed with wd40 to degrease, then soaked in evaporust and brushed with a wirebrush before being regreased...but at the same time, you can also save yourself a few hours and just spend $6 for a new wrench. That's cheaper than the chemicals.

In my particular case for housewares, I own a house and 2 cabins. At present, only one of the cabins is "livable", but it becomes a charity case for things that still function and are usable. I usually take old cookware and silverware and extra glassware and mugs there.... Decent, used sheets, some furniture, mattresses, etc... By the time they get thrown away from the cabins, the stuff has had at least 2 lives. I plan on going out there and loading my truck up a few times when the weather warms with TVs and furniture that aren't needed.

The problem though is that too many things half-way break....they become annoying and they aren't always easily repaired because the breakage is either crappy chinese plywood or plastics. Throwing those kinds of things away has become really common for Americans. I'm almost to the point of only buying things that I know I can repair and maintain and boycott the junk.
 
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BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,067
1,550
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Opposite.
Spending money I dont need to spend means I have less money to save for emergency or retirement. This stresses me out.