To Spend or Not to Spend? That is the Question.

     We've all been there. Playing our favorite games every day. Faithfully collecting our interest. Frantically spinning Trudy. Checking our stock holdings. Witholding the urge to buy that new item that has caught our eye. The feeling of finally, FINALLY making enough neopoints to spend it on that thing we've always wanted; our ULTIMATE GOAL. Maybe it's a paintbrush or a rare stamp. Maybe it's purchasing that way-too-expensive item for our gallery. For many of us avatar hunters, it's the Grimoire of Affluence. 10 million neopoints, purchased from the Hidden Tower. A book that once read, will award an avatar. The feeling is sweet, but it doesn't last long. We've spent so much time saving and playing (and spinning, and investing, and selling, and battling...), that when the time comes, many of us experience an unexpected moment of doubt. "Am I really going to spend ALL MY NEOPOINTS on a book?? A book that I know will DISAPPEAR after I read it?? Even if it gives me an avatar, is this what I really want? I'm going to be poor after this... I can't breathe... where am I? WHO am I? I need time to THINK!".

     If you are in the depths of despair, never fear! Here are some tips to help you consider whether to spend or not to spend:

     1. Relative worth

     In buying this item, will you have 0 neopoints left? Thus, collecting no interest in the bank? If so, it may be a good idea to give yourself a cushion. Give yourself a minimum number of neopoints to have in the bank. It may be 1000, 10,000, or even a million. Some neopians will even give themselves a cushion of 10 million neopoints. That way, when you spend, you won't be losing all your neopoints, and you will still collect interest. Buying the item will no longer make you completely poor, and you can spend your hard earned neopoints in peace.

     2. Number of goals

     How many goals do you ultimately have in Neopia? If you have many goals that require neopoints, it's best to accomplish the small ones first before going after the big ones. If you're going after stamps, collect the cheaper ones before saving for the big ones. If you're an avatar hunter, spend your neopoints going after the cheaper items before spending it all in one place. If you spend all your neopoints at once, it will be much harder to accomplish your next goal. If this is your BIG ONE, give yourself a little freedom to spend that hard-earned cash! But remember that goals are not only mean to be accomplished, they're meant to be topped. Once you have completed your goal, you will inevitably come up with new ones.

     3. Is the item sell-able?

     Can I use the item and then sell it later if I change my mind? This would apply mostly for gallery items and collectables. If you can, then no hesitation, friend! On the other hand, items like stamps, paintbrushes, and morphing potions can only be used once; once you use them, that's it! Also, a friendly reminder that the Grimoire of Affluence, as with any book purchased from the Hidden Tower, cannot be sold once bought. If the item you desire is one of these, give a long hard think about whether you are okay with spending the money. With paintbrushes and morphing potions, you will get a happy daily reminder of your hard work as you play with your awesome pet! Stamps and books, not so much.

     4. Avatar collecting

     If your item will give you an avatar: how serious are you about your avatar collecting? If you've already spent precious neopoints in this endeavor and consider avatars the main reason you live in Neopia, then those neopoints may be well worth spending. If avatar collecting is a small side hobby and you much prefer other things like customization, battling, gourmet foods, reading books, etc, then perhaps you should keep your attention towards those things which you love most.

     5. Rash decisions

     Is this a quick decision, or is it something you've really thought through? Have you been saving neopoints for this item in mind, or did you come across it recently and haven't had time to process? If this is something you've thought about for a while, then go for it! If not, have patience. What seems like a good idea today might be tomorrow's regret. If there is an expensive item that you really want, give yourself at least a week to think about it. If you are still willing to spend the cash after a week, then have at it, friend!

     6. Time spent

     Have you been saving for this item for a few months, or a few years? If it is something that you could save up for again in a few months, then no problem! But if it has taken years, maybe even a decade, to save up to this amount, tread wisely. You may not reach this number again for another number of years. On the flip side, if you've been saving up for years for THIS item in particular, then feel free to pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

     Regarding buyers' remorse:

     Can the item be sold? If so, no shame; listen to your gut! If not, being poor is not the end of the world. We all started off that way. Remember, neopoints can be earned back. You still have a high interest rate, since your bank keeps the interest rate that you had before you spent your neopoints. Just remember to visit Trudy every day, play some games, and invest what you can in the stock market! What are neopoints for but to spend, right?

     Spending neopoints in abundance can be tough, especially if we've worked long and hard to get where we are. But really, there is nothing like the feeling of accomplishing a well-earned goal, even if it sets us back a few digits. Having wealth definitely does help us to have a good experience in Neopia, but being poor doesn't hinder our relationship with our pets, which is our goal anyway, right? And, you get to take advantage of that yummy soup from the Soup Faerie! Mmm Mmm!