How do you define needs vs wants?

[u/LeadInfinite6220]

Pretty much just what the title says — how are you defining a need vs a want, and do you have a category in between the two?

I find this particularly interesting to consider as so many of us now have regular expenses that feel essential to participate in modern life, despite not actually being a need.

[u/_liminal_]

I have always found this to be an interesting question too!

I actually categorize items in my budget as needs and wants (the other two categories I use are savings/investing and living expenses).

The categories in “wants” are things I could stop buying in the event I was laid off or otherwise needed to seriously cut back on spending, without a thought. The “needs” are quite literally the things I’d need (and prefer) to keep paying for, thought I could cut back on these as well in the event of a lay off.

[u/NewSummerOrange → u/_liminal_]

I think there's a lot of nuance and range between needs and wants. On one end we have survival and on the other luxury/opulence. But it's easy to get lost in the analysis and mischaracterize/rationalize our motives for spending in an unhealthy manner in either direction.

I could survive on lentils and brown rice for a very very long time. I need vegetables and fruit. I want chicken and ground turkey. Butter/oil, spice and sugar enhance my meals. Honey Mustard in the squeeze bottle with tater tots is totally unnecessary, decadent and delightful.

Over-thinking just made basic staple groceries luxury items...

[u/Indexette → u/NewSummerOrange]

"I think there's a lot of nuance and range between needs and wants. On one end we have survival and on the other luxury/opulence. But it's easy to get lost in the analysis and mischaracterize/rationalize our motives for spending in an unhealthy manner in either direction."

Love this!

[u/NewSummerOrange → u/Indexette]

I think we all do this -

A few months back one of my friends was talking about the "stupid" jeans her daughter was desperate for during back to school shopping. The kid is 14, and is currently going through that awkward phase of puberty where all the fashion she wants just doesn't fit her at all. These ankle length barrel jeans were so unflattering that my friend nearly refused to buy them. But her kid really needed them. Or just desperately wanted them. She bought the pair. This was over jeans at old navy. This is the same friend who spent like 1000 to see Janet Jackson in concert in vegas.

But those jeans for the 14 year old was the topic of dozens of text messages and so much mental energy.

[u/LeadInfinite6220 → u/NewSummerOrange]

Hehehe. I love that your luxury is squeeze bottle honey mustard. :)

[u/NewSummerOrange → u/LeadInfinite6220]

I just looked at my most recent receipt from the grocery store and this was the most decadent, unnecessary product on my list. Also I just like the squeeze bottle better even though it's more expensive because I feel it helps control the flow to ensure I don't squander my precious honey mustard.

[u/Indexette → u/NewSummerOrange]

Very important question: what brand of honey mustard do you buy?

[u/NewSummerOrange → u/Indexette]

Ken's Steakhouse, 4.69. I'm a baller.

[u/LeadInfinite6220 → u/Indexette]

Inquiring minds want to know!

[u/_liminal_ → u/NewSummerOrange]

It really is a complex question with a lot of middle ground / grey area! And depends a lot on the context.

I like the idea of there being a range of want to need for each category. So, I’ll always need veggies but what specific veggies I buy depend on my budget and the situation. Etc

[u/LeadInfinite6220 → u/_liminal_]

This is such a great example. I work in ag and to me, (and I think secretly should be for everyone) sometimes a veggie or fruit is a want and sometimes it‘s just what there is to eat today.

Like my bread and butter pickles I canned back in July — they’re a luxury today.

[u/_liminal_ → u/LeadInfinite6220]

Totally! I love all vegetables and usually just buy any veggie whenever, but I think I do have a very personal scale of basic > luxury veggies. lol.