Differentiating Between Needs and Wants

[hardian]

Last February I face a dilemma in buying a productive item, what I had in mind is buying a notebook or subscribing an internet connection. Both cost a large sum of money and both gave me a great deal of use in helping me working as a web developer or as an application engineer, that’s why I had to choose which one should I buy. After a couple of days thinking, I choose to subscribe internet connection, why do u say? It is because the factor of “Wants” was too dominant in buying a notebook than the urge of “Needs” in getting it.

By differentiating the urge of “Needs” and “Wants” I can use my wealth in buying a productive means. I think this is the first fundamental concept that should be planted if u wants to success financially, especially if you are employees that have a fixed income.

Before we elaborate the differentiation of wants and needs, let’s look at the meaning of the words.
“Need” means that we have to do something (or anything) to accomplish or fulfilled it because it's “need” to. Example of action based on "need" is buying food (staple), buying basic work clothes, paying taxes and buying a productive item.
“Wants” on the other side refer more to the action in getting something because you have the desire to have it. Example of action that is based on “wants” is buying new cell phones, buying brand new laptop etc.

If you see the meaning of the word, you could say that it is quite similar. But it is different, “Needs” stands on the top of the ladder. “Needs” is the one things that we need to prioritize; “Wants” can be fulfilled after the needs is fulfilled.

In reality it is upside down, many of us use our income to buy certain things that we want before we buy the things that we need. It is often that our income depleted before we could fulfilled our needs. This could be the beginning of an unhealthy consumptive life style. The continuing of this cycle it is because we mis prioritize wants before needs.

To be more specific in differentiating needs and wants there are two things that are bond these two words:

1.
In “needs” there is a limit to it, but in “wants” don’t. Buying staple foods, paying transportation, paying bills, all of it it’s almost fixed down to its value. But in “wants” there’s no border. If u sees ads of new cell phone with new technology that make u look savvy, your “wants” grow bigger. If you go to the mall and sees new gadget, your “wants” grow bigger again. There is no fixed amount of money that guarantees our “wants” still the same each month; it could be bigger or smaller. So why our income is always depleted before the end of the month? On some cases it’s because we mis prioritize the wants before our needs. If we just fulfilled our needs our basic income will be competent for monthly basic.
2.
Something you needs it isn’t always something you want and in something you wants it isn’t always you needs. Paying bills it isn’t always what we want, but we have to pay it anyway. Buying what we want it isn’t always what we needs, but we buy it anyways because we want it to. Take a new set of clothes for example (even though u had a closet full of it) or a new cell phone and other things like that.

By differentiating it I could separate what I need to be more productive and more resourceful, and I could separate my income into savings and other things like that.Since I started my website I promise my self that I use my wealth in buying a productive item one each month, u could say that a productive item is an item that produce or help me in creating a substantial income whether it’s passive or active. To help you more in grasping these concepts in helping you manage your financial better, you could read john chow writing on The Gun and Butter Theory. This writing basically is a fundamental in my mind in managing my income.

this writing come from my web, hope it help
i just want to contribute to the forum

[Grigor]

There is no strong line between "needs" and "wants". We say that we need a mean of transportation, but does it have to be a car? Is bicycle enough? Or, maybe, just a pair of good shoes? Or maybe it really needs to be a SUV?
It is very hard to distinguish between "need" and "want" when it is about art. Do I need to have a picture on the wall? Do I need to have one new book every week or I just want to? I think I need it. My life would be miserable without it. However, I don't need to buy every book I read. I'm fine if I borrow it from a library.
Futher, one's "want" could be other's need and vice versa. A friend of my spent a huge amount of money on a very good hi-fi system. At the same time, he uses a public transport because he doesn't have a car. We might say that he wants that, but he would say that he needs it because music is very important to him.
One is sure: we allways have to challenge our perception of what we need and what we just want, but we should not question other person's "needs" and "wants".
Regards,
Grigor

[alexyeo]

Hi guys,

Sometimes when we buy things, we always think it's a "need" and buy it in impulse.

I have a rather good suggestion. It works for me. When you see a product that you really like on the spot, resist the temptation. Don't buy it first and go back consider for 1 week. If after one week, the urge for you to buy is still extremely strong, you can buy it. Of course, if it's a more expensive product like a laptop or hi-fi. Give yourself one month's time to think about it.

Know what? Most of the time after consideration, I won't buy in the end. I guess it's a "want" for me on impulse! I am glad I didn't bought it.

[Andrew Brunelle]

It is only when you need nothing that you become truly wealthy. Food aside that is. We all need to eat. Someone once told me, "There are two kinds of wealth. Having power to have anything you want, and then there's the wealth where you need nothing." That is how I have chosen to live my life. When you truly find out how little you really need, that is when you can start to grow. At least that is how it has worked for me.

[Liara Covert]

Consider that 'wants' and 'needs' are both illusions. Problems like quandries only exist if you create them and allow them to exist. Why question or condemn your choices? There may be no such thing as a good or bad choice, only results that please you and displease you. Perhaps your most basic beliefs are creating the problem where one exists? You tell us.

[aabukar]

this post came at the right time i think .... well i have just joined the forum and i am web developer as well ... and honestly speaking instead of working on a boring task "code review and write documentation" i was checking the site and reading posts on the forum ... all other developers (which are already 2) and the project manager are on vacation and i "need" to finish this task before saturday...

so instead of focusing on what i "need" to do ... i focused on what i "want" to do.... read posts and make posts and enjoy the forum

and i even convinced myself that is is what I "need" by thinking " i am now not productive because i am feeling down and i need to read topics in the personal effectiveness to work better".

but i think that after reading your post which is really really greaaaaat. I have to signout and continue my work.

[sv800]

Originally Posted by aabukar

this post came at the right time i think .... well i have just joined the forum and i am web developer as well ... and honestly speaking instead of working on a boring task "code review and write documentation" i was checking the site and reading posts on the forum ... all other developers (which are already 2) and the project manager are on vacation and i "need" to finish this task before saturday...

so instead of focusing on what i "need" to do ... i focused on what i "want" to do.... read posts and make posts and enjoy the forum

and i even convinced myself that is is what I "need" by thinking " i am now not productive because i am feeling down and i need to read topics in the personal effectiveness to work better".

but i think that after reading your post which is really really greaaaaat. I have to signout and continue my work.

I'm at my job right now (IT, Programming, Software Help desk). I spent at least 10 minutes before start reading these forums. It makes me more productive.

[aabukar]

Originally Posted by sv800

I spent at least 10 minutes

well 10 minutes make you more productive but 4 hours (as in my case) well... i think that it is not right?

being a new member and searching for such sites for a long time i was overwhelmed but hopefully i will be able to control this and get the best out of it