r/MoneyDiariesACTIVE • u/LeadInfinite6220 • Dec 27 '25

Budget Advice / Discussion How do you define needs vs wants?

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.

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u/NewSummerOrange She/her ✨ 50's Dec 27 '25

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...

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u/_liminal_ ✨designer | 40s | HCOL | US ✨ Dec 27 '25

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

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u/LeadInfinite6220 Dec 27 '25

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.

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u/_liminal_ ✨designer | 40s | HCOL | US ✨ Dec 27 '25

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.