[StefanoC]

When evaluating whether to buy something: is it worth the amount of hours of work that took me to be able to afford it? I know roughly how much money I make per hour (money into my bank account every year / how many days I work every year / how many hours per day I work). So, say that something costs 100£ and it takes me 3 hours to make that money; would I work 3 hours to buy it?

Also when buying something: sometimes I feel like under a spell, really wanting to make a purchase. Then I just sleep on it. Usually the day after the spell is gone, and I can better understand if I really want to buy that something or not.

When doing something new: I'm the kind of person that - when learning to draw - spends more time looking at the perfect paper and pencils than actually drawing. I'm sure some of you can relate. I enjoy this process, but the truth is that to learn to draw you don't need anything else than any piece of paper and any working pen/pencil. So, learn to recognise when you go too far off track and go back to actually learning how to draw. There will be a time to hunt for the perfect paper. If you don't want to go back drawing, maybe you didn't want it that much to begin with.

When spending money: spending money on things (objects) is almost always less worth than it feels. Unless it's a tool that you use (e.g. a DIY tool, or a kitchen knife, etc). Spending money on experiences (traveling, concerts, etc) and learning (books, courses, etc) is almost always more worth than it feels. Especially, as an introvert, there is something inside of me that tends to dodge "experiences".

To be happy: I learned this recently from the Dalai Lama. You should learn the difference between happiness and pleasure/desire, and prioritise the former. E.g. when looking for a job how ethical a company is and how good you'd fit is more important than the salary, job title, and prestige of a company.

[mclightning]

Most stuff I desire nowadays, are pretty cheap. I work as a consultant and self-employed. I don't know if I am making too much or I am happy with small things (e.g. a Mechanical Keyboard, some new 3D printing resin) which has a cost less than an hour for me.

This presented with me a different problem. I have to instead look at life quality improvement it provides purely. Most products in market, are never absolutely perfect. One brand will offer you X but not Y, while other will do opposite. Then you end up not buying anything, but be burdened by thinking about it for some time. Then eventually, you just buy it to save yourself from mental tax.

I also found it more rewarding to spend money on experiences; a new sport, a new hobby etc.