1. Name the need
Would you still want this if the sale or reward disappeared? Write down the present, recurring problem the purchase is meant to solve. Then name what you already own that does most of the job.
2. Count the whole cost
Add shipping, tax, setup, accessories, refills, subscriptions, and likely return costs. The clean number on the product page is rarely the full amount the household will spend.
3. Use the life you have
Name the first realistic use and estimate how many honest uses the purchase will get in the next 12 months. Do not calculate value for a better-organized future self.
4. Price the friction
Anything that must be stored, cleaned, learned, charged, installed, or returned has a second cost. Check compatibility, maintenance, warranty, and the return deadline before checkout.
5. Buy, wait, or skip
Buy now when the need is current, the fit is checked, the full cost is acceptable, and the terms are clear. Wait 72 hours when the desire is new or the sale is doing most of the persuading. Skip when it duplicates something or depends on a hypothetical future life.
Keep it beside checkout
Use the one-page version.
Print the check, mark the decision, and keep the return deadline with the receipt.
Get the free printable