Tip - You're trying on a pair of jeans, which have simultaneously added four inches to your legs, flattened your stomach and perked up your rear; they also are very, very expensive. Is your new physique (without the gym!) worth the price? Should you plunk down the money?
Here's a little tool to help you decide.
1. Figure out your "magic number", the amount you would happily spend on one wearing of the item (for me, it is $2 a wear; my more frugal sister Molly won't go above $1.25).
2. Divide the item's price by how many times you will realistically wear it. BE HONEST. This won't work if you lie and say you'll wear it every day and then you shove it into the back of your closet. I have the hot pants to prove it.
Example: The jeans you like cost $100 and you think you'll reasonably wear them once a week for a year (or 52 times). 100/52 = $1.92 so your per-wear-cost is less than your $2 magic number, which means you can ...
3. Buy guilt-free. You have the hard proof that you're going to get your money's worth so go on, buy the jeans. I can't wait to see your legs in them.