1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to borrow before you buy. It is 4 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: the human condition to have less money and less space 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: then we probably want, so most of us would prefer 6 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: to buy and own only those things that we are 7 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: actually going to use. Unfortunately, it can be hard to 8 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 1: anticipate what those items will be. I got less use 9 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: out of the high end stroller I bought for my 10 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: now fourteen year old. Then I got out of the 11 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: twenty dollar umbrella stroller I bought for a trip once 12 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:57,279 Speaker 1: and then wound up using for several more children. This 13 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: is true even though the fancy strollers review us we're great. Inevitably, 14 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: it is hard to anticipate what items we will actually 15 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: use and enjoy if we don't own them already, and 16 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: the trial and error it takes to find the right 17 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: items can introduce a lot of expense and clutter into 18 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: our lives. So how can we acquire more wisely simple? 19 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Aim to borrow before you buy. I think you want 20 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: an insta pot. Everyone has it on their Christmas list 21 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: right Well, ask to borrow your neighbors while she is 22 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: out of town. If you love it, you can buy 23 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: your own when she returns. If you don't, now you 24 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: know without any decrease in cash or increase in stuff. 25 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: Borrowing gear for hobbies you want to try can be wise, too, 26 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: so you can whether you actually enjoy a hobby and 27 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: want to commit the time before buying all the gear. 28 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: If your kid wants to try playing an instrument, that 29 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: is awesome, but there is a reason. Several companies specialize 30 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 1: in renting instruments to kids through their school band programs. 31 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: Instruments are expensive and it is hard to know what 32 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 1: will take, just as you don't know whether you will 33 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: be really into diving or rock climbing or whatever else 34 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: catches your fancy. I'd say that this philosophy can work 35 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: to a degree with clothing too. If you have a 36 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: friend who is a similar size and style, consider sharing 37 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: clothes and accessories back and forth. If you borrow a 38 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: dress and love it, you can consider buying something similar 39 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: and no it will get used. There are also plenty 40 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: of things you can borrow without ever buying your own. 41 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: Does your neighbor have a power washer, borrow it twice 42 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: a year when you need it, and bake him a 43 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: loaf of bread as a thank you gift. You can 44 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: save your money and garage space for other things. Do 45 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: you go skiing approximately once a decade, borrow old ski pants, 46 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: goggles and the like from your friend who skis all 47 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,040 Speaker 1: the time, and take her out to dinner to say 48 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:34,119 Speaker 1: thanks and get skiing tips. People generally like to see 49 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: their stuff used and they like to help out friends, 50 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: so don't assume that everything you need occasionally is something 51 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: you need to own yourself. Borrowing may be a long 52 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: term solution. Of course, for this to work, it is 53 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: important that you always return things in good condition and 54 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: share generously yourself. People are going to be happy to 55 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: lend you their power washer if they know that your 56 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: ladder is there for the asking better yet, don't wait 57 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: to be asked. If your friend mentions that she is 58 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: thinking of buying an air friar, offered to lend her 59 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 1: yours to test it out before she buys her own. 60 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: Even if you love your air friar, she might not 61 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: because we are all different. The only way to figure 62 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 1: this out is through lived experience. Sharing and borrowing lets 63 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: us save money and tends to reinforce bonds with neighbors 64 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: and friends, and you are far less likely to wind 65 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: up with barely used items sitting in the garage for years, 66 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: as a certain stroller of mine did. In the meantime, 67 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here is to 68 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love 69 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 1: to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 70 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 71 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. That's B the 72 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 73 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i 74 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out 75 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 76 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 77 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 78 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 79 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.