Buying Decisions From Olives to Houses

The only forms of impulse buying I can think of are centered around food. I sometimes make my lunch and still end up eating out. I could just as easily eat the PB&J in my car(work on the road), but the allure of tasty Thai food is too much. I rationalize that I need to get out of my car, and that I will still work inside the restaurant, which almost never happens because few, if any, Thai restaurants in my territory have wi-fi. Even though the purchase price may be small, the incidence of post purchase dissonance is still present. I feel guilty and undisciplined knowing that I went off my budget.


There is another more structured type of impulse buying that does involve the same post purchase behavior. Whenever I do the grocery shopping, I allocate a certain amount of money to the treats that will satisfy me in the hours after the kids are asleep and I can get a moment to indulge my taste buds; the spicier, saltier, smellier, vinegarier, the better. No pre-planning is done. It is a simple stroll down the following aisles: Chips, Snacks, Asian/Mexican/Ethnic. I enjoy talking about my finds with my wife. Her upturned nose and the disgusted look on her face at the sight of anchovy stuffed olives is the prelude to the joy that I will experience.


The purchases that have bigger ramifications (although hypertension from salty snacks is serious) require a much different evaluation process. I would rank house buying in this category. Before buying a house, I research the neighborhood, compare sales trends, inspect the house, consult with knowledgeable people I trust, and any number of other research methods.


Ultimately, the decision has to pass the gut check, which is essentially, what main objection comes to mind when contemplating buying the house? Can I live with this objection for the foreseeable future? If the asnwer is "no", I can pass. If it is "yes", it becomes a "maybe" until the next objection arises and so on and so forth until closing day.