Money Lesson 11

‘It was on sale, so I had to buy it’…..

‘Saw this on special, so I had to buy it’….

‘Got this cause it was a great deal’….

‘Cheap holidays (timeshare)’

How many times have you done this only to feel like a sucker after it, or maybe you didn’t realize that you were a sucker until now. Sorry….. but I am here to the break the news to you that more often than not, the ‘deals’ or ‘great’ offers you see are really not deals at all. It is a very easy trap to fall into especially when starting out in life and learning to manage your money but also when money desperation occurs.

Currently we are in the runup to Christmas and this is a time where we are often bombarded with every kind of special offer going. But remember it is only a special offer if you actually need it.

Scams to be aware of:

• Anything free usually has an attachment price. Always read the Small print.
• Internet e-mail offers. These can be very tempting and you often think your getting fantastic deal. But sit and think. Are you actually on the hunt for a brand new 40inch tv, is this something you really want? Or is it just a deal that you can’t live without or so you think.
• Paying fee’s upfront for receiving loans or credit cards. No matter how desperate you are for cash, please do not do this.
• Miracle Products. Pills that guarantee you will lose 15 pounds in a week. The latest wonder cream that will grow your hair by inches a week.

I am here telling you about these potential pitfalls as I have fallen for properly nearly all of them out there. Yes I may be super savvy with my moony now but this was not always the case. Rewind to my 20’s and I have purchased pills to lose pounds, exercise equipment of telemarketing tv shows that was going to give me a 6 pack with no effort whatsoever, I even bought a timeshare in Vegas but the less said about that the better!!!

Individuals like myself with ADHD are often more prone to this mad spending. We often are not very grounded, impulsive and jump without thinking. This does not mean that individuals without ADHD do not get caught up in the too good to be true side of life. On anther breath I also see all these as lessons, lessons very few of us repeat a second time. Well maybe not a third time.