Borrowed from the website of Martin Lewis who runs a money saving expert website... a money saving mantra. It goes something like this
If you are skint you ask yourself...
- Do I need it?
- Can I afford it?
If you have money you ask yourself...
- Will I use it?
- Is it worth it?
It can be printed for free onto a wallet sized card and I am cultivating the habit of using this manta prior to any non essential spending (I classify bills, basic food shopping and car bills as essentials).
I don't know if it fits the simple enough test, but it is certainly helping me at the moment to make sensible spending decisions.