Convert the total cost of the item to how much it would cost per day to use it.

Total cost ($) / Life expectancy (days)

Reading time: 5 min

Summary:

If you take ages to mentally approve expensive purchases, consider the following calculation method:
"Total cost ($) / Life expectancy (days)" - Is this daily cost lower than what you would be willing to pay every day to use it? If yes, buy it (if it clearly improves your life).

I take ages to mentally "approve" expensive purchases

I have this problem.

I can afford to spend on new or "extra stuff" that enhances my life, but I'm quite frugal.

I find it very hard to "approve", in my head, large purchases, even if a purchase would clearly add a lot of value and enhance my quality of life.

Things like:

new glasses (my existing pair are years old)

a new laptop (when the existing is very slow and has a broken hinge, previously repaired)

a new laptop (when the existing is very slow and has a broken hinge, previously repaired)

a new desk chair (my existing is 10+ years old)