10 intentional questions to ask yourself before buying something

Improving my finances has been a significant part of my intentional living journey. In addition, being intentional with every purchase, from groceries at the supermarket to a new car, is a learning curve, including learning the questions to ask before buying something.

“I’m confident that this has happened to every sister somewhere down the line… Walking into a boutique or High Street retailer, seeing a piece of clothing on the model that puts twinkles in your eyes and, despite having no intention to make a purchase that day, is brought home and put in your wardrobe.”

I’ve never been what society would constitute as “bad” with money, by any means. For most of my adult life, the only debts I’ve had are my student loan and phone contract, and I’ve always had some money in my emergency savings account. But, despite the seemingly good representation, I’ve spent time doing some significant uplevelling in the financial department. Why? Because bubbling under the surface were traits that didn’t support my financial well-being, including:

Spending mass amounts of money in one hit

In particular, this would usually be ahead of an event. I’d seek comfort in the experience of spending money under the guise of needing the items. Recurring examples were buying a wardrobe of new clothes ahead of starting a new job and replacing the contents of my home with new alternatives each time we moved.

Not spending money on things I need

Ironically, when spending wasn’t triggered by an event, I often held off from buying it indefinitely. Only recently have I bought a kitchen towel holder because, frankly, it never seemed a priority in the last five years. Without the emotions of an upcoming change, I can go into anti-spending mode.

Emotional spending

Then, there’s the counterproductive spending that doesn’t support my goals or well-being and is completely fuelled by emotion. In this category, it’s the frivolous spending on a takeaway after a hard day, a pint at the pub for freedom after a day in the office, or one of the five coffees a week from sheer temptation at the train station. When I moved to London, this type of spending skyrocketed.

Bouts of mass restriction

Finally, I’m not unfamiliar with enforcing periods of limited spending. Typically, the bouts were triggered by periods of heavy spending and the desire to regain control of my finances. When I last changed jobs, I had a month with a significantly reduced salary, purchases for my work wardrobe (I told you) and had just returned from the holiday to Iceland I surprised my boyfriend with for his 30th birthday. The month after that consisted of extreme saving. I adopted the practice of cash stuffing and spent limited amounts of money to replenish my savings.

Questions to ask yourself before buying something

Now that you understand my story, it’s time to understand yours. Whether the purchase is large or small, it’s time to think before you shop by asking yourself the following questions:

1 | Do I need it?

Arguably the most fundamental question is whether the item is a necessity for you. Going back to my extensive shopping habit ahead of a life event, wouldn’t it have been much more cost-efficient to look through my wardrobe, identify the clothing items that could be worn to work, assess their quality and write a list of the items that I needed before adopting a new wardrobe?

2 | Can I afford it?

Unless you don’t own any work clothes, a new work wardrobe isn’t a priority if it doesn’t align with your budget or financial goals. If it compromises paying off an existing debt or saving for a larger goal, it’s best to look at what you’ve already got, at least until the first paycheck.

3 | If I can’t afford it, can I fund the item another way?

I understand that you want to feel the best version of yourself, sister. For example, if you have a pair of trousers that are ill-fitting and don’t make you feel good, I’m the first to admit that it’s not intentional to have them in your wardrobe. If you can’t afford to replace them, can you sell them along with other clothes that you no longer wear, and replace them like-for-like with the money you’ve made? I do this frequently to refresh my wardrobe when I surpass the desire to wear an item.

4 | Have I researched and compared prices?

If there’s a particular item that you’re looking for, such as a pair of trousers to replace those ill-fitting ones, shop around. If you like trousers of a particular brand, type the brand name into Google to see if it’s stocked by another retailer, such as Debenhams or ASOS. Sometimes, these websites have sales or discount codes that the main retailer doesn’t have when you shop directly.

5 | What are the long-term implications of purchasing this item?

Moving away from the example of ill-fitting trousers, the long-term implications of an item are, in my opinion, a significant consideration when making a larger purchase. I’m shopping for a car at the moment and these are the long-term factors that I’m considering:

– How much can I afford to spend on the car? Am I going to pay for it in cash to avoid the monthly expense, or keep my emergency savings intact and pay for it monthly?
– What’s the mileage of the car? This will indicate how long it will potentially last.
– Has it got a full service history? Basically, has it been looked after or will it be at risk of needing significant repairs?
– How much will the running and maintenance costs be? Going forward, MOTs, services, breakdown cover, future repairs, fuel and cleaning the car will impact my budget.

6 | Is there a more sustainable or eco-friendly alternative available?

Charity shops, or thrift shops, are getting more traction than ever. The impact of consumerism, especially in relation to fast fashion, has become more widely understood. Plus, a hike in the cost of living has increased the amount of secondhand-shopping sisters. So, going back to the trousers, can you find the desired brand on a secondhand marketplace such as Vinted, Depop or eBay? Taking the sustainable route is perfect for finding vintage furniture, too.

7 | Does this purchase align with who you are?

This can be confronting. I underwent a style refinement, shall we say, as I approached my 30s. I developed the colour palette that I like to wear, the styles that suit me and the image I want to portray in alignment with my values. During this refinement, I wasn’t able to throw away all of my old clothes and start my wardrobe again. So, naturally, some items don’t quite fit my image and I’m slowly working to replace them.

With this in mind, I’m extremely intentional about the clothes that enter my wardrobe and ask myself if the purchase aligns with my defined set of criteria. If it doesn’t, which happens more often than you’d think, I don’t buy it. If you’re looking to undergo an intentional style transformation, I recommend reading Style Therapy: 30 Days to Your Signature Style by Lauren Messiah.

8 | Am I buying this out of impulse?

I’m confident that this has happened to every sister somewhere down the line… Walking into a boutique or High Street retailer, seeing a piece of clothing on the model that puts twinkles in your eyes and, despite having no intention to make a purchase that day, is brought home and put in your wardrobe. Upon wearing it for the first time, you realise that something isn’t quite right, perhaps the fit, colour or style, and you wear it once before donating it to the charity shop.

To combat this, start a list on the notes section of your phone containing the items that you feel the urge to buy. Then, re-visit the list again in two weeks to determine if it’s something you truly wanted, or if it was something you wanted out of impulse.

9 | Can I borrow, rent, or repurpose something instead?

If you have a wedding to attend, can you rent a dress instead of buying one? I’ve learnt my lesson from the two dresses that I bought for weddings last year that were worn once and are now on Vinted and eBay for sale at a fraction of the price. I vow that for future weddings, I will either buy a less standout dress that I can wear for multiple or rent a dress on a website such as By Rotation.

10 | How will this purchase impact my well-being and happiness?

Finally, it’s time to determine if the item is going to vastly improve your life, sister. For example, buying a car will enable me to work at my dream job, move to the countryside, go to the gym and see my family more often, making it a positive purchase. Replacing the old pair of trousers with a new pair from your favourite brand might make you feel more confident at work. However this looks for you, ensure it’s the final question to ask yourself before buying something and swiping the debit card at the till.

Have you made an unintentional purchase that you regretted? Share it with the sisterhood in the comments or by contacting me.

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