The Purchase Scale: How to Love Your Every Purchase

Know that amazing feeling you get when you go shopping and get new clothes, shoes or accessories? You’re not necessarily jumping on your couch or bed. Still, there’s this tingling sensation because you know there’s a new addition to your closet that you can’t wait to unleash to the world (But hey! Maybe I’m the only one who gets excited by new clothes 🤷🏿‍♂️).

Then comes the moment of truth; you put on the new fit and one of two things happen - you either love it or it’s just meh!!! If you still love your new fit, fantastic! When it is the other way round, you ask yourself, why does this feel meh? Something feels off. You’re not loving this piece like you thought you would. And if you are like me, you immediately reach for the receipt, ready to return the item or go online to start the return process. 

What if there’s a way to love every clothing item you purchase? Always! Introducing The Purchase Scale - a revolutionary shopping scale developed by world-renowned scientists and researchers from top universities across the globe to ensure your closet is stacked with only one-of-a-kind pieces you’d love and guaranteed to attract compliments. Jk! I came up with it and it has guided most of my purchase decisions for a long, long time. Some people say I’m picky; I say I have standards, and this scale is a primary reason for that. 

As you can see from the picture above, the purchase scale ranges from “Naaah!” to “Love it!” Every stage of the scale is self-explanatory, so I won’t bother with explaining that. I’m not going to worry too much with Naaah because no one really buys what they don’t like. I believe the problem lies with “Manage it.” When you shop in-store or online, my advice is once the thought ‘I probably can manage it’ or ‘I can make it work’ comes to mind, just let it go. Drop it and don’t look back. You will likely regret that purchase, not because it is terrible but because it’s not what you really want. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Your goal for every purchase should be to love it. Yes, you read that correctly, you can love EVERY PURCHASE!

When you spend money, you should always ensure you love your purchase. Stop throwing your money away! Yes, it may be impossible to always get something you love for different reasons, but that should be your goal. And that’s where ‘Like it’ comes in. You should at least hit ‘Like it’; like really like it. But when making a purchase, always strive to hit ‘Love it!’ on the scale. It is okay to play within the ‘Like it’ and ‘Love it’ range when loving it is impossible. Any other range on the scale is you essentially lighting your money on fire. If you don’t like your money, donate it instead of wasting it. The most deceitful range is the ‘Manage it’ to ‘Like it’ range. It usually gives a false sense of making a good purchase, but don’t do it. How do you know it is within that range? There is that thing inside you that tells you. I cannot explain it, but you know you’re settling and should not make that purchase. I bet you have felt it many times, but this is the region on the scale where many people miss it. I implore you to be more courageous in saying no to items within this range.

I can tell you firsthand that my wife has experienced the gloriousness of this scale. She’s still growing in its application, but she sees the benefits of getting only things she loves. She picks up a thing in the store and asks for my opinion. And I ask if she really loves the item or if it’s just another thing to add to the closet. Many times she realizes she doesn’t really love the item, so she drops it. This is another great thing about the scale; you don’t buy as much because you now have standards, which means you have more money in the bank. And that’s okay; not everything deserves your money.

Your goal for every purchase it to love it; not like it, not manage it. 
- Augustine Daniel

Another great thing about this scale is you don’t only have to apply it to the next shoe, hat or hoodie you buy; you can use it in other areas. The next car, house, ice cream, food, house plant can be parsed through the purchase scale to guarantee you love your purchase. 

Now, you will not always make the greatest shopping decision in-store or online. You will sometimes be unsure in the moment or miss it altogether, so don’t be in a hurry to tear off tags and trash receipts because a return could be on the horizon. Sometimes I keep my receipt for up to a week to see if I still feel good about my purchase. That said, regardless of the care taken in using this scale, some purchases will fall through the crack, and that’s okay too - don’t beat yourself up. But if you follow my advice, I can guarantee your love for the clothing items you own will increase and your store returns will decrease. The goal is to love everything you own and keep you looking stylish and confident every time.

There is a good chance some of you already have this scale operating in your head to some degree. Maybe now that you can tangibly see it, it will help you make better shopping decisions going forward. Fingers-crossed, that will be the case. We’re betting on you!

Comment your thoughts and share with someone you know needs this. Thank you for reading.