The "If Someone Paid You" Game

[cjones]

My sister and I just went on our annual trip to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada. We usually book a car service to drive us from Toronto to Stratford (2 hour drive) as soon as our plane lands. But this year we figured out that there is a shuttle service for about half the cost---only glitch is that we would have to wait 2 hours for it. My brilliant sis said, "Look, if someone paid you $100 to wait 2 hours in an air conditioned airport lounge with free wifi, would you do it?" NO BRAINER!!!

"The Game" came to my rescue when I saw a cardigan I absolutely love--priced $450 because it is an "art cardigan" but I thought, in addition to my own "X dollars a month challenge," I can also think, well, if someone paid me $450 NOT to buy that sweater, would I take it? YESSSS.

Thought I would pass it on here. It feels like a more fun way to cut back on unnecessary expenses.

[rosarugosa]

I like it - these psychological money hacks can be really powerful!

[fidgiegirl]

Ooh! I can't think of any offhand, but will be! Especially on the frugals thread, I think we (ok, maybe just me) lose sight of the real, hard cash we are saving through our decisions. Like, right now, I want a kayak. But of course the one I want won't be cheap. But I'm not sure if it would fall under the "if someone paid you . . . " game either . . . cuz I really want it!!!! :)

[Mighty Frugal]

Love it!! I took your suggestion and put a spin on it-I am also doing it for food. I love these 100 calorie ice cream treats. My kids have 200 cal ice cream treats that are even better. So I ask myself 'are the kids treats double as good as mine?' the answer is no

Also did it for $$-didn't feel like taking a lunch to work but knew a bought lunch would cost me $8. So I asked myself 'if someone paid me $8 would I spend 5 minutes to make them a packed lunch?' answer was yes and a packed lunch it was!

Hope you enjoyed Stratford-lovely town. Do you happen to make your way to Shakespeare? That's a really quaint bordering town as well!

[fidgiegirl]

Love it!! I took your suggestion and put a spin on it-I am also doing it for food. I love these 100 calorie ice cream treats. My kids have 200 cal ice cream treats that are even better. So I ask myself 'are the kids treats double as good as mine?' the answer is no

Awesome twist. I used to kind of do this as well, like have a calorie "budget." I applied a lot of YMOYL thinking to food at one time.

You know, does anyone know of a good tracking tool for this kind of thinking? Something to make it tangible? Like, to actually put the $450 you saved from that sweater in a jar, or on a chart, or whatever? To see it?

[SteveinMN]

does anyone know of a good tracking tool for this kind of thinking?
I would use a spreadsheet -- columns for date, temptation resisted, and the amount, with a summing formula at the bottom -- and leave it right on my desktop so I saw it every time I used my computer. But that's me 'cause it seems I'm always on the computer. Such a tall also could be done on a piece of paper (same info, manual calculation). Maybe post it on the fridge or on the back side of a cupboard or closet door.

[cjones]

Love it!! I took your suggestion and put a spin on it-I am also doing it for food. I love these 100 calorie ice cream treats. My kids have 200 cal ice cream treats that are even better. So I ask myself 'are the kids treats double as good as mine?' the answer is no

Also did it for $$-didn't feel like taking a lunch to work but knew a bought lunch would cost me $8. So I asked myself 'if someone paid me $8 would I spend 5 minutes to make them a packed lunch?' answer was yes and a packed lunch it was!

Hope you enjoyed Stratford-lovely town. Do you happen to make your way to Shakespeare? That's a really quaint bordering town as well!

Hi Mighty F,

I like your application of "the game" to a small expense. As we all know, these little things add up bigtime.

No, we did not see Shakespeare the town--sounds nice, maybe we'll seek that out next time.

[cjones]

I would use a spreadsheet -- columns for date, temptation resisted, and the amount, with a summing formula at the bottom -- and leave it right on my desktop so I saw it every time I used my computer. But that's me 'cause it seems I'm always on the computer. Such a tall also could be done on a piece of paper (same info, manual calculation). Maybe post it on the fridge or on the back side of a cupboard or closet door.

Great idea, SteveinMN--seeing it in writing. I think I might call my list "Inner Peace Wins Out Over Things"

[heydude]

i'd be leary of documenting this stuff. don't you want to forget about it? seeing ice cream on my computer and when i was tempted and didn't buy it, would make me say "gee, i was tempted 100 times this month, i should do it finally!"

[cjones]

i'd be leary of documenting this stuff. don't you want to forget about it? seeing ice cream on my computer and when i was tempted and didn't buy it, would make me say "gee, i was tempted 100 times this month, i should do it finally!"

LOL, I'm sure my devious brain came come up with many ingenious excuses to spend, spend, spend! I'll let y'all know how this works out...I actually find that most of the temptations are for big things, things that once passed up seem to lose their inherent appeal after a few days. But you've got a point!

[Mrs-M]

I've read that the average cost of diapering one baby in disposables, rings in at somewhere around $2500, which made me think... would a typical average disposable diaper using mom accept $2500 in return for switching to cloth diapers?

[heydude]

LOL, I'm sure my devious brain came come up with many ingenious excuses to spend, spend, spend! I'll let y'all know how this works out...I actually find that most of the temptations are for big things, things that once passed up seem to lose their inherent appeal after a few days. But you've got a point!

yeah, i used to keep a "wish list" but found that it only made me keep thinking about the things. if i don't keep them written down, i forget about them.