Needs vs wants: Which should you satisfy first?

spotondot Level 1

April 25, 2015, 4:44 pm

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By definition a need might be something you cannot live without while a want (or a desire) is something you would like to have. The want is optional.

If I'm hungry, then my body needs food. But I could just as easily satisfy my hunger by eating a cookie rather than nutritious foods. As a cookie is what I really want.

I 'need' money to pay rent. But I might want to play a game. If I play a game and slack off my work, I won't be able to earn money which is what I need. And, there will be serious consequences.

Do you put your wants before your needs? Do you always act responsibly and satisfy needs before wants?

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angie828

angie828

No I always put my needs first. If I need something then I get it. If I want it, I wait until I have the money or resources for it and then will buy it.

12 years ago

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Beverly

Beverly

Maslow expressed this needs versus wants debate in this way. You can most likely find yourself on this pyramid. The closer you are to the top, the more happy you are likely to be. Someone who is in a distressed situation will most likely only be focused on the bottom tiers of physiological and safety. Once you have all these basic needs met, you will likely be more concerned with optional things such as 'confidence' and 'creativity'.

Needs vs wants: Which should you satisfy first?

12 years ago

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Savonne

Savonne

Very interesting to see how morality and creativity are considered the absolute last things that one should be concerned with. Without morality or creativity, our society would go downhill very fast, don't you think? Maybe these should be the first things not last things we think of.

12 years ago

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HelenGreene

HelenGreene

Need is my first priority, then comes wants.

11 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I personally go after the needs first. And if that works out then I manage to go after the wants. That's how I see things. And if all of that properly works out then I go after wants. I have struggled in my youth this way. And to manage things properly, I make sure that I always take care of needs first. And wants can be ignored but not all the time. We just learn to be with that part.

9 years ago

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Heatman

Heatman

I totally agree with @overcast, it's definitely more pressing to attend to ones needs first than the wants, and if there's left over resources to also take care of the wants as well, then there is nothing wrong with it.

It would definitely be unwise and irrational to pick wants over needs, that would absolutely defying the principles of economics and it's practically going to affect the individual in a negative manner.

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I think as long as earning is good we can think of focusing on the wants. And if the earning is low and we are not earning to keep the lights on. Then things can go south. And then getting things on track becomes lot harder. That's something many among us are struggling. And we have to get that part properly sorted. So just learning about it in due process hoping things improve as well.

9 years ago

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Niyantha

Niyantha

Needs are obviously a priority. Needs= things we must have to survive, such as food, water, and shelter. Wants= desires for goods, services, and other things we would like to have but do not need. This is in fact age old now; times are different now. The world has created things people want but do not necessarily require for existence and survival. However, there are many contradictions to it. "I need food, but I want ice cream." Food, in the humblest form, is a necessity whereas ice cream is a comfort. You can get what you want as long as you have the means to get it. Times when I would desire to "want" something, I ask myself whether I actually "need" it, but that is because I prefer to live basic. The wants need to wait until I fulfil my needs. People live different kinds of lifestyles and their preference for wants and needs vary. But in any case, basic needs come first.

9 years ago

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arachnophobik

arachnophobik

It depends really. Depending on how much I need it, and how much I want it. If I need something, but not right now, maybe in a few years, I'd get what I want first. However, if it's an urgent need, I will not hesitate to do what I need to do first as I could always get what I want instead some day later.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

For practical people, it is always the need that comes first. As in the example, why spend your money on something else when you have to pay rent with that? Obviously, you become irresponsible when you renege on the bills in lieu of entertainment or fun. I also believe that life is to be enjoyed but not at the expense of the necessities.

9 years ago

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joegirl

joegirl

It is only natural and sensible to settle your needs first before your wants. You might want to go on holiday to Bali, but you have a pending bill for medicals or rentals. Not going to the holiday will not harm you like not paying your rentals. And the society has a way of making us feel like we are missing out life when we decide to place our priorities in order, but this is not true.

9 years ago

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wallet

wallet

Hi, this is very easy to answer. The first thing to satisfy are your needs, your needs keep you healthy and in power. After that you can satisfy your wants, that of course if you still have money....ha ha ha!

9 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

Honestly, I used to put my wants first when I was younger. Then, responsibilities and consequences of my bad decisions, made me understand I have to put my needs on top. I know, this is an issue of common sense, but unfortunately we all have to learn from our own mistakes. So, basically what I do is to make a list of all my monthly, regular, expected needs to be solved, then after I keep them covered, I can consider to expend some extra on my wants. So far, this has given me good results.

9 years ago

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Heatman

Heatman

This is actually an experience of most young people, there is nothing to be worried about it as one is not yet mature in reasoning and wisdom to realize the best way to spend on needs and wants. It's as one grows in both years and wisdom, with responsibilities staring at ones face, then one is definitely going to adjust in spending over wants before his/her needs.

9 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

Agree, as I said, I used to do this, getting my wants first, specially during my first year at college. By second year, I started to feel the weight of avoiding responsibilities, because I was procrastinating to take care of my needs. So far, I'm trying to teach this to my cousins, they are beginning college next year, and we need them to be mature enough, so they can avoid getting themselves in big troubles.

9 years ago

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Barida

Barida

This is the correction that I'm making of recent to differentiate between things that I really need and those that are just wanted. I do on like situations where I spend more on wants and when needs arise, I a, left scrapping on how to get better with it.

9 years ago

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Heatman

Heatman

Going over what you want over what you actually need is only going to put you in a situation of always coming up short in fulfilling your set task and objectives because your failed to attend to the most pressing needs first and went over stuffs that could be handled much later on.

I always put my need first ahead of my wants. In economic, I call it scale of preference. The most important ones comes first ahead of the less important ones.

9 years ago

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augusta

augusta

Want are those things we can do without and sometimes we might not need them for anything though it might seem they should be part of our lives,some is just for showoff but needs are those things we need for basic survival.In fact without them we might not live properly our health and well-being might be jeopardise.

These needs include water, food,shelter,health care and money and we must make sure that we have these in abundance before thinking about our wants.

9 years ago

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mildredtabitha

mildredtabitha

Satisfy your needs first before you get what you want. The desire will soon fade away after you realize what you want is always there or it is really not important and you can live without it. If you get what you want before your needs are satisfied, you won't be truly happy.
I always get myself what I need and then when I get what I want, it will be a bonus.

9 years ago

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