thinman
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2005
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We all know that one lure of sales items is the perception that we're saving money, even though we know intellectually that it isn't true. What if we could actually save money when we buy a sale item? Would that slow our buying or allow us to throw caution to the wind and buy even more?
Some months ago, I read a suggestion in one of the men's fashion magazines (GQ or Esquire) that after buying on sale, one should invest the savings in an untouchable account and thus actually save money on the sale(!). Since then, whenever I buy a sale item, I've transferred the difference between the sale price and the retail price from my checking account to a mutual fund account and discover that for me it has several salutary effects:
1) I think more carefully about purchases, since I know my checking account balance (discretionary spending money) is going down by the full retail price
2) I feel less guilty about the sale purchases I actually decide to make
3) my checking account goes down so my purchasing slows, despite the reduced guilt
4) obviously, my savings have increased
Naturally it takes the self-discipline not to touch my mutual fund account(s) after transferring money in.
Has anyone else tried this, or even considered it? Do you think you could do it and would it be beneficial?
Some months ago, I read a suggestion in one of the men's fashion magazines (GQ or Esquire) that after buying on sale, one should invest the savings in an untouchable account and thus actually save money on the sale(!). Since then, whenever I buy a sale item, I've transferred the difference between the sale price and the retail price from my checking account to a mutual fund account and discover that for me it has several salutary effects:
1) I think more carefully about purchases, since I know my checking account balance (discretionary spending money) is going down by the full retail price
2) I feel less guilty about the sale purchases I actually decide to make
3) my checking account goes down so my purchasing slows, despite the reduced guilt
4) obviously, my savings have increased
Naturally it takes the self-discipline not to touch my mutual fund account(s) after transferring money in.
Has anyone else tried this, or even considered it? Do you think you could do it and would it be beneficial?