There will always be tech gadgets that tempt you into making a mindless insta-buy. Shopping online makes it ridiculously easy. Apple Pay users just tap a button, glance at their iPhone, and the purchase is complete. Depending on where you live, you can have couriers deliver your Apple tech the same day you order it for less than $10.
Some might suggest there is much too little friction between desire and acquire. As a result, you end up taking possession of gear you forgot you ordered. At some point, the empty Amazon boxes start piling up in the corner. It is then that you realized you should have probably said no to a few of those items.
Some are concerned that online shopping is too easy. People with serious impulse control are targeted by game developers all the time. Those big spenders are referred to as whales by people in the industry. They are the people that spend hundreds of dollars a month for in-game benefits that have no real value in the real world.
Such people have a problem and are being exploited. There are good reasons why they should say no to the temptation. And they are not alone. We all need to say no more often than we do. When it comes to tech purchases, here’s why:
You Can’t Afford It
Those buy now, pay later apps can get you into a lot of trouble. They encourage you to spend what you don’t have and put off thinking about the consequences until later. If you find yourself in that kind of trouble, at least there are a few options that are better than payday loans that can help you get emergency financial help the same day.
You don’t need to go without power or water. You have access to quick loans regardless of credit. The thing to realize is that you are in the situation because you felt compelled to buy that which you couldn’t really afford. You misjudged your ability to pay for the things you acquired.
This happens to everyone at some point or other. If this is a problem for you, the key is delayed gratification. You can have anything you want. You just have to save up for it in advance. When you do that, you have no risk of debt you can’t handle. You will also realize that once you have a couple thousand at hand, you might not want to spend it on that gadget after all.
It Seldom Lives up to the Hype
Thinking about buying the latest truly wireless earbuds? Think again. Apple has just announced that in June, they will be offering lossless tracks as a part of Apple Music. But those earbuds you are considering will not be able to handle it.
That goes for any wireless earphones you are looking at. It is technically impossible to do over bluetooth. That is true for all music services offering lossless music. You need special equipment to appreciate it. And if you are not sure what I am talking about, you don’t have the necessary equipment.
It pays to let someone else beta test new hardware to discover the limitations. You don’t want to learn about all the things your new item can’t do moments after you buy it. By waiting, you will avoid the heartache of buying a bunch of tech that doesn’t work the way you hoped.
It Doesn’t Solve Any Problems You Actually Have
When new products come out, they are marketed as though they were the solution to all your problems. Indeed, most new products tend to be the solution to some problems for some people. However, before you put down the cash, you should take inventory of your purchasing motivations.
Will that product really solve a problem you actually have? Manufacturers are constantly manufacturing problems for their devices to solve. Don’t fall for it. If you didn’t have the problem before the item was announced, you won’t have it after the announcement.
It is really hard to say no to the new and shiny. But it gets easier when you remember that you can’t really afford it, it never works out exactly the way you hope, and it doesn’t actually solve a problem you have.
Nickida
Nickida is a first-generation Trinidadian American wife and mother of four. She enjoys sharing recipes from her childhood growing up in Trinidad with her readers. Nickida has a son with Autism and shares posts around traveling with a child with special needs to help other families like her own. She loves television, movies and is a true 80's baby.
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