Choosing To Say No

Our culture has changed to have a tendency not want to wait for anything. If we want it we get it. It isn’t all our fault; Marketers are good at what they do and they teach us to not wait when we find something we want. Just in putting my thoughts together I Googled “Finances, say no” and the first line that popped up was an ad from Google Adwords that said

“Where to go when the bank says NO”, a tag line for loan.com

I thought it quite comical.

Choosing to say no to things we do not need or rather cannot afford is an idea that can be hard for someone who has never had to do without. It can also be quite gratifying to say no, knowing that you are really saying yes to achieving your goals for the future. For those of you that struggle with this concept of telling the world no when they want you to say yes I offer a few pointers that have helped me.

First, I am always asking myself “Is there a more economical way to accomplish this or to get that?” When I see an ad that temps me I think, “Am I really dumb enough to let this ad tell me that I want that?” Another great way to judge how much I want/need something is by putting it in terms of hours I would have to work to buy the item. In other words if I get $20 an hour by the time I pay tax, tithing and invest I am really only left with $10. Do I really want to waste an hour of my hard work on that lousy $10 hamburger? This helps me especially with high ticket items.

If you have tried everything imaginable and still think you need that “whateveritis” let me just say this. In the past when I have found something I just could not live without I have found ways to get creative. I recognize that we are here to enjoy life and I recognize that not everyone is the tight wad that I am. If you have something you cannot live without get creative. Sell something you don’t want or use any more to raise money for that which you want. Find a way to make your hobby profitable, work extra hard for a bonus. Your possibilities are endless.