Wants vs. Needs

One of the things that burdens us is our confusion of our wants and needs. We often thought that what we want is what we need. BUT .. the reality is what we need is is just a quarter of the things that we want.

Wants are the things that we can live without. Needs are what we need to survive in our everyday life.

One example of it is our trip to the grocery. Pretty sure, you have been there without a list with you. This is a big NO for anyone who is into a tight budget. For my part, here is my usual grocery list:

• soap
• detergent bar + fabric conditioners
• shampoo (i am buying those 3-in-1 or 16 ++ shampoo's as they are cheaper but of course make sure it is compatible with your hair. good thing I found mine that is cheap :) )
• foods (this include the food that will be my meal for two weeks - very basic)
• load (for my prepaid internet load)
• and eherm .. sanitary pads 

Very basic necessities. These are the things you need everyday should you need to go to work or school. It may not be everyday but you need them in the next two weeks. Forget about going to the laundry shop to have your clothes washed. Do it yourself. Imagine what you can save by doing it yourself instead of paying them to do it for you. No one is really that busy and you need that exercise at least twice a week.

But without the list, this list can have additional stuff that you do not really need. You might see your cart loaded with chocolate, chips, sodas, extra kitchen stuff, girly stuff and other stuff. 

• Do you really need to have a stock of chocolates? Aside from additional calories, think of the cost of one chocolate bar. You might want to drop this money to your bank deposit account instead.
• Do you really need to have those sodas? Water, aside from it being cheap, is a healthy drink for you. 
• Chips for your snack? Food preservatives are a big NO for your health. Why not make a short trip to a local market near you to buy some cheap fruits as an alternative snack.
• Those girly stuff like nail colors, lipsticks, foundation - pretty sure you have them but do you need an additional stock of all of these? And those nail polish will not fade away that easily. Maybe in two weeks time. So, next time, you buy one, choose the colors you know you will love looking for the next two months on your feet. Budget, budget!\
• Dresses? Try mix and match. Choose colors that you can easily paired with other clothes in your closet. No one would really notice it if you use that twice in two weeks. If they do, for sure, you can easily find a way to defend yourself!

Make a list. You can download apps on your phone that can plan your shopping list. Make your list bi-monthly - for your payday schedules.

Another thing that is effective is making a wish list. I have mine that is why I know it is effective. It is a projection of your future expenses. Make the list of things you WANT to buy even if you do not NEED it. I have to admit that there are splurges like that but I try to keep it to a minimum. When you make a list, you can prioritize the things you really want to buy first. Eventually, you will see that some of the things on the list will be stuck there  for months. The reason is simple -- this is just the thing that you WANT but you do not really NEED rigth away.

Think about it!