Need Vs Want - what takes more money out of your pocket?

@thebigk • Oct 26, 2024

Oct 26, 2024

1.3K

My friend & I had a good discussion [not debate] on this topic months ago. I'm presenting it to you.

In simple words,

"Need" - its something that is a requirement, necessary duty, or obligation.

"Want" - its something that is a wish, crave, demand, or desire

The question is - what takes more money out of your pocket?

For example, I may need a 'phone' (with basic talk/sms functionality) that costs $100. But I may 'want' a phone with camera, bluetooth, 120 fps recorder that costs $300.

Hint: Think of iPhone: Is it a need or a want? 😁

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Jeanius

@jeanius-aGytne • Jul 6, 2008

It would have to be where your priorities lie. I need to eat, but I don't need to eat as fantastically as I would like to (i.e. Ramen vs Rib Eye). I need a computer, but do I need the latest Nvidia GTX280 in quad SLI (Dear Santa...)? The latter of those two most definitely fall into the "want" category, but are offshoots of the "needs." At the same time, though, I need to retire someday, but do I need to retire with $X in the bank? Depends on what my wants are. ;-)

So I'd have to say the "wants" are the big spending items. "Needs" are the baseline of how you want to maintain your lifestyle, and "wants" are how much you'd care to embelish it.

Edit: iPhone is a want, like, OMGPLZ I SOOOOO NEED (want) THAT KEWL IPHONEZER LOL.
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gohm

@gohm-F3UUpP • Jul 6, 2008

It would be want by a landslide as needs are only food, shelter etc. Even a phone is a want item.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Jul 6, 2008

So, in a way, are we all in agreement that its the 'want' that takes more money out of our pocket? 😉
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koli

@koli-QCL7Nj • Jul 6, 2008

BTW - many wants over the time turns to needs.

example 1- mobile phone, which is in wants category slowly turning into needs isnt it ? Imagine you are on your way to cross country and your stuck middle of the road.

example 2- cooking gas - which was wants few years back, now it is need. You cant cook food on wood (at least those who are reading this thread 😁)
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gohm

@gohm-F3UUpP • Jul 8, 2008

I would disagree and say a phone is still a want item. Countless people all over the world live quite happily without one. Sometimes I wish I was one of those, laugh.
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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Jul 8, 2008

I suppose you'd have to see the "generations" of people. The new generation grew up with more technology than the previous one, thus they cannot "adapt" with a situation in which they are deprived of it.

Certainly someone who's never used a mobile phone can live without it, but on the other hand, the business person who always need to be communicating on the move cannot do his/her job without it.

I have a case where a want is cheaper than a need. If you say having shelter with a hard roof, a bed, and a bathroom is a need, I can choose to camp out in the jungle and bath in the river. But unless you've learned how to hunt, this is a short term want.

Its all relative. You'd have to compare like with like. In most cases, wants would certainly be more expensive than needs, since we choose to satisfy our desires beyond our survival. In rare cases, needs might exceed wants, as I've mentioned in the example before.
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KINETIC_JOULES

@kinetic-joules-Qk9kmk • Jul 8, 2008

All of this goes to the "bare necessities". Do we REALLY need the things we say we do?
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gohm

@gohm-F3UUpP • Jul 9, 2008

Yep, we all must sing along with the Jungle Book song, though that probably was "bear necessities" 😉
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KINETIC_JOULES

@kinetic-joules-Qk9kmk • Jul 9, 2008

gohm
Yep, we all must sing along with the Jungle Book song, though that probably was "bear necessities" 😉
That's why I spelled it different. I didn't want everyone to break out into song.
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Itanium

@itanium-haHgZn • Aug 2, 2008

i would rather say it depends on how much you earn...

if you earm little, that may not satisfy all your needs
if your earn lot, that may not satisfy all your wants
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Aug 2, 2008

Itanium
i would rather say it depends on how much you earn...

if you earm little, that may not satisfy all your needs
if your earn lot, that may not satisfy all your wants
😀 Well, 'earn little' & 'earn lot' are relative terms. So, for us all to be on the same page, let's talk in terms of percentages.

I've seen people who spent almost 60% of their salary on buying a motorola phone! ;-)
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Itanium

@itanium-haHgZn • Aug 2, 2008

now its the iPhone thats sucking the salary...
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sauravgoswami

@sauravgoswami-UAfTlI • Aug 3, 2008

Ahhh!!...wants and necesseties depends on persons to person,necceseties are definately cosleir as a person can leave without his wants,but needs are absolutely essential
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freak16

@freak16-XgiLj6 • Jan 29, 2011

need basically means the necessity of one's life."Need"-we afford for it by anyhow otherwise life left with the zilch.and "WANT" is surely more money demanding.Needs are limited,but Wants can be limitless and they are.....dont you think CEans??......

so a poor person by anyhow has to manage his needs but compromise with his wants...(people who cant afford it)...
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