Change Your Spending Habits

With most of us about to spend a lot of money for the holiday season, this is the perfect time to give some deep thought to the ways we spend money, and to think about our financial priorities. How do our feelings of scarcity or abundance have an impact on our spending habits and even our overall attitude toward life?

Here are three simple questions that can change the way we think about spending money even during the holiday season. They are a great first step toward liberating ourselves from spending habits that damage our lives and do not serve our spirits, our selves, others, or the planet.

Every time you buy something, ask yourself these three simple questions:

1. Am I or is the recipient likely to receive fulfillment, satisfaction, and value in proportion to life energy spent?

2. Is this expenditure of life energy in alignment with my values and life purpose? (Think, for instance, of the hours of life-energy you traded to make the money to buy this thing.)

3. How might this expenditure change if I didn’t have to work for a living? (Many of us find ourselves buying things to make our work-lives more tolerable, like that cup of Starbucks for the morning commute, or in order to maintain a certain level of appearance, like buying chic clothing for the office.)

Thinking about these questions and your answers to them can help to clarify your earning, spending, values, purpose, sense of fulfillment and integrity; to help you discover what is “enough” for you and render yourself immune to advertising. Eventually you will be able to create a map of your interactions with the planet and use solid information, intuition, and ethics to guide your lifestyle.

Read more: Spirit, Guidance, Self-Help

Adapted from Radical Simplicity, by Jim Merkel (New Society, 2003). Copyright (c) 2003 by Jim Merkel. Reprinted by permission of New Society.
Adapted from Radical Simplicity, by Jim Merkel (New Society, 2003).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Joe R.

6:43AM PDT on May 5, 2012

Thanks Annie.

send a green star

Anastasia J.

8:05AM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

Good article with realistic tips. I've been finding that cutting out (rather dumb) little luxuries, like Starbucks in the morning, makes a big difference. Also, taking out cash once a week and spending from that allotted amount makes you analyze your purchases more and think about how much your actually spending (as opposed to the less tangible debit of credit card spending).

KARLOLINA G.

2:44AM PDT on Sep 12, 2011

This has been a great eye opener for me. I am guilty of not thinking about the purchase if a gift for a friend. I usually am stuck on making them happy. I will work on this. Thank you.

Michele W.

12:59PM PDT on Sep 8, 2011

Good article.
Thank you

Robert O.

11:33AM PDT on Mar 29, 2011

Good insight. #1 especially hit home for me andis always worth thinking about. I guess the bottom line is really to evaluate your purchases and make sure you feel comfortable and confident with them especially in the context of sense of fulfillment and integrity. Thanks.

Chavonne H.

5:03AM PDT on Mar 21, 2011

I've been working on my spending habits and it's turned out pretty well.

Laura F.

7:25AM PST on Jan 6, 2011

worth a try thanks

KS G.

12:31AM PST on Jan 6, 2011

Thanks for the article.

NO EMAILS P.

12:56AM PDT on Nov 3, 2010

thanks

Eva O.

3:47AM PDT on Oct 26, 2010

I really like this article. It is simple, short and very to the point! I have been trying to increase my overall awareness, and I think that this article will fit just right in. I will make sure to keep these things in mind when buying things! Thank you for sharing!