{"id":3432,"date":"2023-07-22T18:57:09","date_gmt":"2023-07-22T22:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/15-questions-that-will-change-how-you-shop\/"},"modified":"2023-07-22T18:57:09","modified_gmt":"2023-07-22T22:57:09","slug":"15-questions-that-will-change-how-you-shop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/15-questions-that-will-change-how-you-shop\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Questions That Will Change How You Shop"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

The path to intentional living<\/a> is not always easy\u2014especially with advertising and social pressures constantly urging us to buy. <\/p>\n

To take back control of our resources (and lives), it\u2019s important to step back and ask some hard questions before reaching for our wallets. <\/p>\n

To help, here are 15 questions to guide your purchasing decisions and help you live more intentionally:<\/p>\n

1. Do I really need this?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

The most basic question. Differentiating between wants and needs can drastically cut down unnecessary purchases.<\/p>\n

2. Do I own something else that can serve the same purpose?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Sometimes we simply forget about the things we already own that can serve the same purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n

3. Am I buying this primarily because it\u2019s on sale?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

A bargain is only a good deal if you needed the item in the first place.<\/p>\n

4. Will I actually use it regularly?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

An item that you\u2019ll only use once or twice may not be worth the investment.<\/p>\n

5. Can I borrow this from someone instead of buying it?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

For items you\u2019ll use infrequently, borrowing can be a smart and economical choice.<\/p>\n

6. What else could I do with this money?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Opportunity cost<\/a> should always be an important factor in decision making.<\/p>\n

7. Will it add value to my life or help me fulfill my purpose?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

If the answer is no, it\u2019s probably not worth it.<\/p>\n

8. How many hours of work does this purchase equate to?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Considering purchases in terms of work hours<\/a> can give you a sobering perspective.<\/p>\n

9. Will I have to maintain it?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Maintenance costs can add up, both in terms of money and time.<\/p>\n

10. Am I buying this for myself, or am I influenced by someone else\u2019s opinion or desire?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sometimes, we shop to impress or fit in. Ensure your purchase is driven by your needs and not external influence.<\/p>\n

11. Can this purchase wait?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

If it\u2019s not urgent, give it some time. You might realize you can do without it. And I can\u2019t stress this point enough.<\/p>\n

12. What is my emotional state?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Buying things when you\u2019re stressed, bored, or unhappy can lead to regretful purchases.<\/p>\n

13. Is this an impulse buy?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

If it wasn\u2019t on your list or in your plan, pause and reconsider.<\/p>\n

14. What will happen if I don\u2019t buy this?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

If the answer is \u201cnot much,\u201d it might not be a necessary purchase.<\/p>\n

15. Will this purchase potentially lead to more purchases?<\/strong> <\/p>\n

Beware of the Diderot Effect<\/a>\u2014a spiral where one purchase leads to another. Ensure that what you\u2019re buying won\u2019t necessitate further spending.<\/p>\n

Making intentional decisions about our purchases can help us align our actions with our values, avoid unnecessary clutter, and live more fulfilling lives. <\/p>\n

Try asking yourself any (or all) of these questions the next time you\u2019re thinking of making a purchase.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Profit<\/a>
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The path to intentional living is not always easy\u2014especially with advertising and social pressures constantly urging us to buy. To take back control of our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3432"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3432\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}