Why I Buy Expensive Things Despite Being Frugal | My Personal Purchasing Criteria

When we first started dating,
my wife asked me this:

“You never buy anything, but
don't you want anything?”
It's true that I rarely make impulse buys.

Even when my birthday approaches and my wife asks me,
I often say,
“I can't think of anything I want.”

However, I don't think that means I lack material desire.

I do want badminton gear,
and I love home appliances; I'll wander into an electronics store
and look around with excitement.

So, why does it seem to others like I don't want anything?

It's because I have“purchasing criteria”within me.

In this article,
I will talk about the philosophy I value when spending money.

By the time you finish reading,
“buying based on value, not price”
I would be very happy if my way of thinking could be conveyed even a little.

Buying based on “impact on life,” not price

There are things I buy without hesitation, even if they are expensive.

For example,
the desk, chair, and display I need for telework.

About one-third of life is work.

If the work environment is set up well,
I believe that work efficiency and physical strain will improve,
and daily performance will change significantly.

That's why I spend money on things that suit me,
even if they are somewhat expensive.

Bedding is the same.

Because it's something I use every day,
I want to choose something that keeps me healthy for a long time.

Conversely, I have no interest at all right now in things I only use once a year,
or brand-name items just for show.

The fact that I was a big spender in the past and bought everything in sight probably influences this too.

I once lost a pair of gloves that cost over 30,000 yen, which I had bought with money I desperately saved from part-time jobs, within a few days. That was truly the height of stupidity. (lol)

But because of this experience,
for me, shopping now is judged by
“how much it enriches my daily life.”

Even expensive things are cheap if you use them for a long time

There is one other philosophy I value.
I have always been very good at taking care of my belongings.

Wallets, bags, badminton gear—
I use the things I like for many years.

Therefore,
instead of “I won't buy it because it's expensive,”
I have the mindset of
“I'll buy it if I can use it for a long time.”
For example,

the desk I mentioned earlier for telework.
In total, it cost over 300,000 yen.
At first glance, that feels very expensive, right?

But if I use it for 20 years, that's 15,000 yen per year.

That's about 40 yen per day.
Moreover, because the quality is good,

there is no need to replace it multiple times along the way.

Actually, it's been 7 years since I started using it, and
it looks like I could use it for 30 years, not just 20. (lol)

As a result,
rather than buying cheap things over and over again,
the satisfaction and cost-performance can be higher.

That's why I try to purchase things by thinking not just about the price, but also
“how many years I can use it.”

I am not denying myself things I want

I don't make impulse buys, but
when I decide I really want something, I buy it immediately.

Instead,
I always make sure to think about “why I want it.”

• Will it make my life more convenient?

• Will I use it every day?

• Will it enrich my life?

• Can I use it for a long time?

When I organize my reasons like this,
only the things I truly need remain.

That's why I don't spend much money on a daily basis.
But when I decide something is necessary, I don't hesitate.

I believe this is because, through my past experiences with waste and the frugal mindset I've developed through asset building,

I have become able to spend money properly on things that truly have value.Also, the reason I don't buy much usually might be because I satisfy my material desires through investing.Since the amount I purchase at one time is in the hundreds of thousands, for example,

buying high-dividend stocks not only satisfies my material desires, but I can also enjoy


the double benefit of having my money grow further through dividends.
Saving and asset building are not for the sake of enduring hardship.I believe they should be done to “become able to choose things that are truly valuable.”

Summary

I don't really think in terms of “buying because it's cheap.”

Instead,
I use “will it enrich my life?” as my criteria.

Things I use every day.
Things I can use for a long time.
Things whose value I can feel for decades to come.

For those kinds of things,
I will spend money even if they are expensive.

On the other hand, I have almost no interest in temporary trends
or impulsive shopping.

I believe that asset building is
not a technique for not spending money, but
“a technique for becoming able to spend money on things that have value.”If you are currently shopping just because “it's cheap,” please try thinking just once, “Will I still be using this in 10 years?”

That perspective might enrich not just your shopping, but your life itself.
Let's work hard together to enrich our lives!

Thank you for reading until the end!
I would be happy if this article is even a little bit useful for your life.

If you thought even a little bit,
“I'll try thinking about valuable shopping!”
it would encourage me if you could give me a like, follow, or comment with your thoughts.

*This article does not recommend the purchase or sale of any specific stocks or financial products. Investing involves risks, including the loss of principal, so please make final investment decisions at your own responsibility.

✨Announcement✨
I released a paid article when I reached 1,000 followers!

I reveal the reproducible method I found after 3 months of thorough analysison how to create articles with a 30% like rate and over 300 likes 🙇‍♂️
If you look at this one guide,

you will be able to create articles with confidence and enjoyment,
so please take a look if you are interested!

A site map summarizing my articles so far ↓