Checkbox Syndrome: Why We Spend Money on Things We Don't Need

Ever been tempted to buy the latest shiny thingjustbecause it has more features than its competitor?

Today, were getting ourselves lost in the big city.

What Is Checkbox Syndrome?

The worst part of checkbox syndrome is that it extends to us, the buyers.

We make buying decisions based on these fantasy uses.

Ask Yourself: Is My Current Gear Good Enough?

Was the new iPad a huge upgrade?

Were those feature worth the money to Adamor even useful for him?

Then note or circle those features that actually apply to you and the way you would use the item.

Take those features and highlight the ones that matter to you.

If youre a shutterbug, the camera probably is important, and you should highlight it.

Is it really doing anything youd need to do?

Is it really doing anything new?

…Once you start evaluating products like this, a lot of things start falling apart.

Their new features really arent all that amazing or useful to you.

In his example, he describes an iPod Touch he received as a gift.

Title image remixed fromPSDGraphicsandGwoeii(Shutterstock).

Additional photos byChristian Van Der Henst S,Zhao, andJohn Karakatsanis.