The regret test
Lesson 11 of 13 in our free Big Purchases guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.
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Questions you'll answer
A £120 coat you wear 3 days a week for 2 winters (about 25 weeks each). Roughly what's the cost per wear?
Quick facts
- Comfy shoes you'll wear daily → Likely worth it. Low cost per use.
- A gadget bought at 2am after a hype video → Likely regret. 2am + hype = regret starter pack.
- Something you've wanted for 3 months and saved for → Likely worth it. Planned and wanted. Enjoy it!
- A bundle 'deal' with things you didn't want → Likely regret. Paying extra for clutter.
- Fact: “Opportunity cost means thinking about what else that money could do.” — £250 on a machine = £250 not in your emergency pot.
- Myth: “Spending on things that matter to you is a failure of budgeting.” — Budgeting is about choosing. Spending on what you value is the point.
- Fact: “A cooling-off pause before big purchases helps reduce regret.” — Real wants survive a wait. Impulses don't.