Siddharth Saoji 
Ever catch yourself analyzing medical bills with the intensity of a forensic accountant while casually swiping your card for an overpriced holiday? Yeah, me too. Welcome to the peculiar world of human spending, where logic often takes a backseat to psychology.
Here’s an example: Last week, I spent hours debating between a $30 and $80 pillow — something I use for eight hours every single night. Meanwhile, I didn’t think twice about spending $100 on a dinner that lasted barely an hour. Make it make sense!
So why do we do this? After some reflection (and mild financial regret), I’ve identified a few key patterns:
The “Ooh, Shiny!” Factor: Holidays and dining experiences come with an element of surprise and anticipation. We’re naturally drawn to uncertainty in experiences, making us more willing to spend freely. Meanwhile, practical purchases? We treat them like we’re solving a complex mathematical theorem.
The “Society Says So” Syndrome: We’ve somehow collectively decided that certain things should be expensive (like vacations), while others should be as economical as possible (like medical procedures or daily essentials). These unwritten rules influence our spending more than we’d like to admit.
The Time-to-Think Trap: Quick decisions often mean quick spending. Give us time to think, and suddenly we transform into meticulous budget analysts. That’s why we impulse-buy a play station but spend weeks researching a basic household appliance.
Understanding these patterns doesn’t automatically make us immune to them. But awareness is the first step toward making more balanced decisions. Next time you find yourself obsessing over the price of something you’ll use daily while freely spending on momentary experiences, take a pause and consider: are you making a rational decision, or are you falling into these familiar traps?