💸 Should you buy it? (Probably not) 💸

Plus: The transformative power of keeping a journal

View this email online Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Life Kit producer Clare Marie Schneider Even when money is tight, it’s easy to be tempted by shiny items at the checkout aisle or a particularly steep online sale. Making purchases we don’t need but just want can feel good and momentarily exciting. Who doesn’t love a new gadget or item of clothing that promises to make your life better, easier or simply more colorful? But those unnecessary purchases won’t feel so great later if they don’t align with your budget and savings goals.  To make more mindful purchases, Aja Evans, a financial therapist, and Brian Vines, a reporter at Consumer Reports, share questions to ask yourself before your next fun (but maybe frivolous) purchase. If you answer "yes" to any of these queries, you may want to reevaluate before you pull out your credit card or click “buy.” I don’t need that doodad — I want to save money! We Are/Getty Images 📈 Is this part of a pattern? Put your desire to spend into context. Let's say you love hunting for treasures at estate sales. "If every weekend you're going to different antique stores to search, peel back a layer and ask what's going on," Evans says. "How often are you shopping in this kind of way?" You may find that you don't actually want to own a new thing. You just love the dopamine rush of discovering a new treasure and making a purchase. That awareness may be enough to put that card back in your wallet. ♥️ Are you trying to fill an emotional need? If you find yourself feeling spendy, check in with yourself using the acronym HALT. Are you hungry, angry, lonely or tired? If so, there may be some other way you can fill that need without swiping your card. Eat a piece of chocolate or call a friend to catch up.  🤷 Are you feeling so-so about it? Let's say you have a craving for a doughnut. You head to the bakery to find that it's sold out. Should you get something else? For Vines, the answer is no. "I'm not going to take a muffin or half a pie or a slice of tiramisu when I want one doughnut," he says. "If it's not what you want, walk away." More questions to help curb unnecessary spending Newsletter continues after sponsor message We want to hear from you: How do you make mindful purchases? How do you stop yourself from buying that new, extra-fast blender to replace the one you already own that works just fine? What do you tell yourself when you’re out shopping and you see an enticing item on sale that you weren’t planning on buying? We want to hear the tips and tricks you use to stop yourself from buying in a world that wants you to buy, buy, buy! Send an email with your full name and tip to lifekit@npr.org and we may publish it on NPR.org.  More from Life Kit on spending Oliver Munday for NPR Could you live without shopping for a year? Try the 'no-buy challenge'. The goal is to save money, cut back on overconsumption and be more mindful of wasteful and unsustainable shopping habits. This guide can help you start a challenge of your own. Read the story.  5 tips to stop stress-spending. We could all stand to stretch our cash a little further right now. Life Kit teamed up with financial expert Tiffany Aliche, also known as the Budgetnista, for tips about how to separate needs from wants, stop stress-spending and save for the future. Read the story.  Stressed about money? Scared to check your balance? These tips are for you. If you wince every time you open up your credit card app or feel stressed just thinking about personal finances, here's how to curb money avoidance and train your brain to face your money woes head-on. Read the story.  If your spending is eating your savings, you might be experiencing 'lifestyle creep'. Making more money tends to lead to spending more money. It's a phenomenon known as "lifestyle creep." Paco de Leon, author of Finance for the People, shares advice on keeping your long-term financial goals in check and fending off the subconscious urge to automatically increase spending when your income increases. Read the story.  Support our work & listen sponsor-free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening and even some specially curated playlists of episodes by theme (Master your budget, Organize your life, Move your body, and more).   Check out all the NPR+ benefits available at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ In case you missed it Deagreez; Pravokrugulnik; paladin13; Israel Sebastian/Getty Images The transformative power of keeping a daily journal. In a new book, writer Suleika Jaouad explains why journaling is a form of alchemy — and offers tips on how to reignite your practice if you're feeling stuck, bored or uninspired by your own writing. Read the story here. Are seed oils actually bad for your health? Here's the science behind the controversy. Health Secretary RFK Jr. has said vegetable oils, like canola and soybean, are "poisoning Americans." But many researchers say the evidence isn't there. So, what does the science say about seed oils? Read the story here. Dear Life Kit: My friend says ugly things about her body and it makes me anxious. Body-acceptance advocate Katie Sturino and Ronald Young Jr., host of the podcast Weight for It, answer listener questions about body image, weight loss drugs and bullying. Read the story here. Upcoming topics to look out for 👀 We love sharing exclusive content with you, dear newsletter subscriber. Here is a list of topics you can expect to learn about in upcoming episodes.  📦Avoiding counterfeit products  🏡How to be a good houseguest  💭Managing intrusive thoughts Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? 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