# Spending on something you don't actually NEED **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 15, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492 "2008-03-15T19:50:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/21 "2008-03-16T03:41:03Z")
[QUOTE=freekalette] Oh, and Starbucks vanilla frappucino in the bottles. I can suck down a four pack in like ten minutes. This is why I no longer do the grocery shopping! [/QUOTE] Isn’t it awesome? I’ve kicked that habit, finally. It adds up, at more than a buck for what, 8 ounces? ---
**Author:** ![Maui\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Maui\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maui_Lion)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/22 "2008-03-16T03:42:51Z")
Just yesterday I bought these: [http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/a0f3/](http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/a0f3/) I don’t have a lot of money right now, but…they just looked so cool. And they’re also an MP3 player! In glasses! ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/23 "2008-03-16T03:43:20Z")
Wood. I make pens, and I have considerably more wood than I will ever need, but I buy it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/24 "2008-03-16T06:26:38Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Tyger Girl] Kimono. And books. God, _books_. I have to actively avoid bookstores when I’m poor because I always come out spending at least $50. [/QUOTE] Have you checked out the local library? I go to a fancy bookstore and write down the title/author of any books that look good to me. I log into the library catalog from home and reserve the books. Once a week, I make a trip to pick up any books that are waiting for me and return the books I’ve finished - there’s nearly always something new to pick up. Sometimes it sucks - I had to wait nearly 2 months for Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Vegetable Mineral but it sure is affordable. As for me, I don’t really need ANYTHING except for the usual (rent, food, electricity, gas etc). I buy a lot of crap that I WANT that I don’t need. Tall skinny mochas from Starbucks are the most egregious offenders on my list - nearly 4 bucks! I have got to stop the madness. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/25 "2008-03-16T06:38:46Z")
An original 35 mm trailer for the movie Tron. And, no, I don’t have a 35 mm projector. I just _really_ like Tron, and thought it’d be a neat addition to my collection. (Which also grew last week by a 1984 Japanese laserdisc with intact triangular obi! Yay, me.) ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/26 "2008-03-16T07:20:11Z")
I went on a bit of a collecting jag and bought two silver vestas, a silver pillbox, and a china jam jar. (Books are essential to life! Just like air, food, and water-everybody needs them.) ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/27 "2008-03-16T10:36:50Z")
Books. I have books I don’t even realise I have. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/28 "2008-03-16T11:11:24Z")
Wow, this list is rather tame so far. I guess it just depends on that you determine a NEED is. Most times, there’s always a workaround for something instead of spending money. But, let’s see. You want a list? I’d say recently is within the past few months, no? So, we’ll keep it simple and go back to January 1st. 1. A 1984 CJ7 Jeep with plow. Bought in hopes to finish rebuilding to use as a 2nd plow vehicle and a toy for the wife. 2. 2 dog kennels for the basement. They are in crates now, and break through them, so I’m tired of fixing them, so I shelled out the dough and bought two to replace the crates. 3. 15 or so RL shirts on ebay. I bought them to replace my current wardrobe for work. But I could ave kept wearing the older shirts. 4. A backhoe for my Kubota on Ebay. I can always use a shovel, but, why, if I can do it from the tractor? Hopes are to use it more for my business. It’ll help in building my neighbor’s rock wall as well. 5. 3 six packs of Westvleteren St. Sixtus 12° beer. Some to drink and some to sell. 6. A case of Pindar Pythagoras wine for the family. Some for Easter dinner, and some to keep on hand. There are many other things I could list – but they are all small or closer to “needed”. Not to mention all the things I can’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![FourPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e0b2c6/32.png) [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/29 "2008-03-16T11:14:27Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly] Business Cards. Picture Frames. That movie ticket early in the week. With two jobs I just barely pay my bills. So when I go shopping for food, I don’t buy anything that has a shelf date. Eggs, Milk, etc are out. If I am going to spend money, it has to last a while. [/QUOTE] The picture frames and business cards are a justifiable expense as you hope to recoup those expenditures by the selling of your work. Just like me, buying the backhoe, I hope to recoup the cost. I know I won’t, though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/30 "2008-03-16T11:29:34Z")
I collect, if that’s the right word, big coffee-table books on animation and visual effects. They’re great books to look at and admire, and some have fascinating liner notes along with the dazzling images, but I tend to read them once and never go back to them a second time. Books are often like that, I suppose, no matter what the subject matter, but as these are large and expensive, it’s probably a bit excessive for me to do this. My guilt lasts about fifteen seconds. I know when I had no money I really wanted to be able to do exactly this kind of thing. Now I have money, I indulge myself. Who knows, one day I may not have any money again, and so I will enjoy this time that I had. I won’t regret big spending while I have the funds. ---
**Author:** ![pprgrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f6c823/32.png) [@pprgrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pprgrl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/31 "2008-03-16T19:37:08Z")
[QUOTE=GuanoLad] snip My guilt lasts about fifteen seconds. I know when I had no money I really wanted to be able to do exactly this kind of thing. Now I have money, I indulge myself. Who knows, one day I may not have any money again, and so I will enjoy this time that I had. I won’t regret big spending while I have the funds. [/QUOTE] This is exactly what happens with me. I’ve gotten better about it in recent years, and am now to the point where I can get away with making one small unnecessary purchase, and then I can sock away the rest of my extra cash guilt free, instead of blowing it all immediately. I thought of another one. I just bought a new swimsuit. It’s not really a need since A. I already have a swimsuit and B. I’m moving from Florida to Nashville soon, and I’m guessing that it’s much less needful to own a nice suit there than it is here. But I bought my last swimsuit when I was about 35 pounds heavier, and while it still kind of fits, I’m not thrilled with it. Also, I made the mistake of taking my then-girlfriend shopping with me when I bought the old one, so it’s in a style and cut that more reflects her tastes than mine. I was planning on going to the beach a bunch to get as much use out of it as possible before I move, but the weather has been pretty crappy since I bought it. Still haven’t even taken the tags off yet. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/32 "2008-03-16T19:50:06Z")
Bought the latest Sam and Max game yesterday - I didn’t need it as I have plenty of games to be playing at the moment, but still. Got tickets for Delerium, a cirque du soleil show, which I’m going to see next month for £50. Books are a category all of their own, my bedside table is practically groaning under the weight of my to-read pile and I still end up buying at least another two or three books every month. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/33 "2008-03-16T20:05:21Z")
See I put books in my “need” category. I need them to keep me sane. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/34 "2008-03-16T20:16:20Z")
I am having some serious problems with the “need” part of this question. I am not being flip and I am definitely not a hippie. I need some type of house for me, my wife, and my two daughters. I need clean water, food, heat, a phone, and electricity to support that. We need health insurance and my wife and I need reliable cars to make our lifestyle work with the kids and the location of our jobs. I need decent but not extravagant clothes for my job as does my wife. In reality, we are upper-middle class and we have many things beyond that but I wouldn’t call them true needs. TV is a luxury as well as internet access. People lived for eons without those things. I find it impossible to separate needs from things that are just nice to have in the question. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/35 "2008-03-16T20:23:55Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] See I put books in my “need” category. I need them to keep me sane. [/QUOTE] “I cannot live without books.” –Thomas Jefferson ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/36 "2008-03-16T20:28:49Z")
Probably 95% of everything I buy is something I didn’t “need.” I need food and water and shelter. Everything else is just want. If you want specifics about things I actually bought lately that I didn’t need: 1) Two bluetooth headsets from [woot.com](http://woot.com); 2) A Garmin Nuvi 650 (I could have gotten some lesser model for cheaper, not that I need that either); 3) A digital SLR camera; 4) $150 worth of plants; 5) Six shirts from the Salvation Army (I really did need one, but ONLY one); 6) A subscription to [audible.com](http://audible.com); … and on and on. I could live without all that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Pixilated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/37 "2008-03-16T20:34:03Z")
I dont _need_ my Zodiac art or moulds or books, or my Zodiac retro-60/70’s dishes, or my faerie dolls & art - but I want them, so have them I shall. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/38 "2008-03-16T20:48:31Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I am having some serious problems with the “need” part of this question. [/QUOTE] Well, it’s subjective, obviously. For example, a few days ago I bought a pair of pants and two tops. I would say these clothes fall into the “need” category for me because I need decent clothes to wear to work. The two dresses I mentioned above, however, would not fall into the “need” category for me, since wearing them to work would probably get me fired - not to mention the fact that I already have several such dresses in my closet. But I bought them anyway. ---
**Author:** ![BrknButterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/39 "2008-03-16T22:25:25Z")
[QUOTE=FourPaws] The picture frames and business cards are a justifiable expense as **you hope to recoup those expenditures by the selling of your work**. Just like me, buying the backhoe, I hope to recoup the cost. I know I won’t, though 🙂 [/QUOTE] Bolding what I want to stand out… “hope” is the key word there. Nothing is guaranteed, so spending money that I don’t have in “hopes” for it to become something is not really a need. It was money that should have gone on a bill. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492/40 "2008-03-17T00:11:05Z")
About a hundred dollars worth of house stuff from Ikea the day before yesterday: new laundry hamper, drying rack, toy box, toothbrush stand and a cutlery holder. None of was needed, it was all to upgrade from things that were looking a bit shabby. Later this year, I’m looking at buying a new computer, including monitor and MFP ($2-3000), plus a bike repair stand ($100-200) so I don’t have to crouch on the ground or worry about the whole thing tipping over the moment I push on anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spending-on-something-you-dont-actually-need/441492.md?page=3)