Are Your Needs Really Wants?

With the news that Americans are saving more and changing their lifestyles (at least for the duration of the recession), I’ve been thinking about needs vs. wants , and how the current situation is bringing this into focus for many. And I started looking at my life, and wondering whether or not some of the things I see as “needs” are actually wants. Here are some things our culture has come to see as “needs” in the past two decades :

• Second car
• Television with cable or satellite service
• Computer with Internet access
• Lots of activities for our kids
• Cells phones
• Eating take out (or going to a restaurant)
• Video game systems

I’m sure you can think of several other things that seem necessary. All of these items cost money. The advent of easy credit in the mid-1980s, and its acceleration in the 1990s, has made buying these things convenient. Indeed, instead of saying “no”, we as a society become prone to giving into temptation and pulling out the plastic.

But now, we, as a society, are realizing that many of our “needs” are actually wants . Everyone in the family does not need a cell phone. Unless you work from home, Internet access is not required. And, of course, there is very little use in having cable or satellite TV service. While I love our second car for the convenience it offers, I know that we don’t need it, and that it is really a luxury.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying luxuries and indulging in some wants. However, splurging should be done in moderation . Additionally, it is important make sure that you can afford the luxuries that you purchase. Recongnize the difference between needs and want s, and remember that if you can’t afford the wants, you should probably learn to say no.

Image source: William Hook via Flickr