Cheerful Frugality Fights Buyers Regret
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Ever made a big purchase, then lived to second guess it?
We finally bought a vehicle to replace the old station wagon. We did our research, we combed the ads, and we ended up with a price that was well below Blue Book Value.
So why do I feel so bad?
Buyer's regret and I are old friends. Every time we've bought a house, I spend a month afterward mentally cataloging its every flaw. I keep checking the real estate ads for what I could have bought instead.
Buyer's regret and cheerful frugality don't mix. Buyer's regret steals the joy of a job well done. Buyer's regret makes you focus on "What if?" instead being grateful for what we have.
I'm trying to use buyer's regret as an opportunity to be cheerful, myself:
- We now have a vehicle that can haul furniture, mulch, and friends for the kids.
- We now have a reliable second car, which is more than most people have.
- We paid cash, and we could sell it for more than we paid, if necessary.
- The air works GREAT!
Have you ever let buyer's regret spoil your cheerful frugality?
Want more like this post? Read on!
- Cheerful Frugality Spray Paints In our discussion about making old things feel new again,...
- Cheerful Frugality Budgets For Better, For Worse My brother emailed to ask if I had an extra...
- Cheerful Frugality Invests Long Term Tell me if this is a tightwad problem for you,...
- Cheerful Frugality Packs The Freezer We did it! One long day of shopping/chopping + 6...
- Cheerful Frugality Buys Used Cars Ten years ago, my husband vowed that he'd never make...
8 Responses to “Cheerful Frugality Fights Buyers Regret”
June 29th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Yes.
When we got rid of our 19-year-old RustBucket, I found myself disdaining the new crossover.
But then, there came one night when I met DH at his office, we went out to dinner, and we drove home in his truck.
The next morning, I had an opportunity to take his truck for an errand. I actually postponed the errand, because I missed MY new car.
It was the end of my grieving for RustBucket.
June 29th, 2009 at 9:37 am
I struggle with this. Hubby has alway had the mindset that we should buy the best we can afford, whatever will be the least work, etc… He’s very sensible about it, but it’s different than the way I look at things (how little can I spend?!) so I’ve had lots of opportunities to second guess purchases. I try to concentrate on just being thankful and I’ve found that we’re rubbing off on each other! We, too, upsized our vehicles this past year and it has been an incredible blessing (just having room to take my Granny out to dinner was worth the cost!) – and I’m unbelievably proud of the deals hubby found:)
June 29th, 2009 at 10:35 am
I always suffer buyer’s remorse. It’s part of my pessimistic nature.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:36 am
No, I would be celebrating a good choice. I have always felt very satisfied with every home or car purchase and never gave it another thought once the papers were signed. I never had the luxury of spending much time choosing a home as we were transferred and had to buy a home on one or two trips of looking. As for cars, I just figure out what kind I want, go to the dealership and get the best deal I can. Life is way too short and precious to fret over a sensible purchase.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Oh, yes.
After we bought our house, I was crying before we’d ever moved in. I went back to our old rental in the middle of the night to sit on the back porch in the dark and bawl. I begged my husband to promise me that we could sell the house in 3 years if I still hated it. I spent a few months mourning and feeling like we’d made the biggest financial mistake of our lives… and it was all my fault.
But several months later, I realize that God led us to this house, that its a good place for my family and for being hospitable, and that it really was the best we could do to be this close to my husband’s work and in this part of town. Even with the soft real estate market here that keeps getting softer, we still couldn’t do better.
And I’m learning contentment gradually… and gratitude. And now all the million and one things that I hated about the house after we moved in have moved into the back recesses of my mind, and I’ve learned to live with them, to put my own stamp on the house, and to thrive with what we have.
Hey, I may not have a screened in back porch anymore, but I did just fill a bunch of Mom’s old jelly jars with citronella candles and put them all around the deck. Now… if anyone knows of a great, sure fire way to get rid of mosquitos, I’ll all ears. =)
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
ooohh that always happens to me too! I thought I was just a stinker- so glad you are too!
July 5th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Loking back and second quessing every decision accomplishes exactly zero. Once a decision has been and papers signed, you’re comitted, so move on with it, I say!
July 13th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
For mosquitoes just put fans around the patio. Mosquitoes are weak flyers. It will clear your patio for any meal with just a very light fan setting . We use ceiling fan
Leave a Comment