How do I get myself to make big purchases when I don't find shopping fun?
Maybe this is a good problem to have, but shopping is more of a chore for me than something fun to do. I'm also a pretty frugal person. For those reasons, it's pretty hard for me to make big purchases, like furniture or even nicer clothing.
I go to the store, I look at the options and none of them seem exactly perfect, I think about how I could just keep the money for something else, I go home without buying anything. Then it takes a long time before I get up the energy to try again. But once I actually buy the thing, I'm happy and wish I had gotten it sooner.
As an example, I moved about nine months ago and need a couple of arm chairs for my new place. I've gone to a few stores, but every time the same pattern repeats itself, and I don't buy anything. It's been months! I'm sure I'll be happy once I have the chairs though.
I don't have trouble spending money at restaurants or on experiences -- those things are fun to me, so I don't mind spending the money. So, how do I get myself to make big purchases when I don't find shopping fun?
This is the way. For larger purchases I will actually make spreadsheets, I list the features along the x axis and the products down the Y axis then assign a number 1-3 in each feature then sum and toss all but the top few. Once I have fewer options the choice os usually pretty easy.
For clothing the problem is harder. I'll make a shopping list with no more than 3 items. Then I only look at items on my list and only buy the one that fits and looks best. For clothing pricing can be tricky for me. As I have gotten older I have come to realize that MSRP is NOT a strong indicator for quality, but certain brands do cost more AND last.
I'm you! Except in my case making the spreadsheet of features makes it harder for me to eventually buy the item. I always think there's another item I just didn't find yet or I get overwhelmed by there being too many items to compare. Good top about the imperfect correlation between price and quality!
That's where the deadline comes in. My son and I are going backpacking in mid July. His old backpack is too small. I had planned on giving him mine or getting him a new one. I have given myself until this Friday to make up my kind and get it ordered. No order means I will have to give him mine and I'll use a backpack fit for a 10 year old.