Just This Once

This one of the best articles on this concept in budgeting that I have seen.  Do you find yourself saying “Just this once.”?

Steve ======================================

Things happen. The car breaks down. The roof springs a leak. We can’t predict these one-time events. But we can predict that something will happen — eventually.

Our job is to plan for when eventually happens, and we can do so by setting aside a little money each month to help offset these one-time events. But I’ve started to notice a pattern with some people.

Supposed, one-time events aren’t really one-time events. Instead, we just call them one-time events to justify ignoring our budget.

For instance, we’ll celebrate Memorial Day in the United States two weeks from today. This three-day weekend marks the first, official holiday of summer, and the first big sale of the season. Retailers promise that “these deals won’t last for long.” As a result, people will tell themselves they can’t “afford” to miss this offer.

via Just This Once – Behavior Gap.