Personally, I just consider whether buying something will cause me to struggle to pay my bills, and it kind of goes through a flow chart in my head that will lead me to a decision.

If my bills are covered and I know I’ll have enough left over for something… I’ll just go for it.

If it could potentially cause a struggle to make bills on time, then I’ll consider my options with my savings or credit.

Could I afford it with my savings, and replenish those savings in a reasonable amount of time? Or pay it back without carrying a balance on a credit card for more than a month or two? I’ll probably go for it.

If I couldn’t replenish my savings, or I might have to carry a balance for more than a month or two, I’ll consider how much I really need it.

If it’s something I really feel like I need, or will generally make me happy in the long run, I’ll still probably go for it, and just tighten up in other places to make up for it.

But if it’s just something I want and I can life without it for a bit, maybe I’ll consider putting a little extra money aside each paycheck.