There are four words that are guaranteed to bring you down. Not only you, but your children and significant others. If you want to start a pity party, repeat these words: We can't afford it. Boo hoo hoo. Poor pitiful me.
On the other hand, there is a way out, besides shop-therapy. Not that rewarding yourself is a bad thing, it's just overused. I'll focus this on what to say to your children, but it goes for you, too. these strategies have worked wonders at my house.
When your child, or your inner child, begs you to buy this latest ultra gizmo, these are things you can say, instead of the nasty aforementioned four words.
1. I don't want to spend my money on that.
2. I don't want to spend my money on that right now.
3. This doesn't make my money work for me.
4. Another day.
5. We'll think about that for Christmas (or birthday, or Thanksgiving...)
6. Did you clean under your bed, like I asked you to?
7. This is not building my net worth.
8. I'm saving for a income-producing opportunity.
9. I'd rather invest in myself.
10. What happened to the gizmo I bought you last week?
11. I'll get a better gizmo later.
12. This gizmo is not a good seed; I don't think it will produce for me.
13. I'd rather spend this money to help others.
14. This gizmo doesn't really solve any problems for me.
15. Rich people buy assets, poor people buy liabilities.
16. I'm playing the money game to win.
17. Why don't we go to the library instead?
18. The habit of managing my money is more important that how much I have.
19. Let's think long-term, not short-term.
20. This gizmo doesn't build my business.
21. Let me think about it.
See, spending money, and asking your parents to buy you things are both habits. Mixonian is all for consumer spending, but spend your assets strategically, not as automatic response to a momentary lack of gratitude. Then when you do buy something, it's more fun than usual.
The best way you can spend money right now is investing in yourself!
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