Needs, Wants and Addictions

Got into a conversation with a friend yesterday.  We were talking about money and our little experiment.  She began to tell me how she is a bargain kind of lady.  She finds bargains and goes for it.  She was telling me, in fact, she needed a computer and found one on sale for almost half the regular price.  I said wow, so you don't already have a computer?  Her quick response was, "not a desktop."  And then she grinned slyly and I immediately caught on to the fact she obviously has a laptop.  But she insisted that she 'needed' it.  Now, although our experiment is not necessarily about needs and wants but instead depletables and edibles, things that fall into these categories often cross territories.  Our conversation does make me want to revise my list of things I can purchase to save even more money.  Many of you reading this already know I have a TERRIBLE addiction to the white Tic Tacs.  Those are certainly edible, but they are not a need.  I am going to make a public commitment right now to cut down my consumption of these to one 4-pack a week.  A 4-pack is
$ 2.88 and I can easily purchase two of these a week.  That brings me to $23 a month on Tic Tacs, and just seeing this in print is making me sick to my stomach.  I think I will also start looking at other edibles and depletables that are not needs but wants and see where more cutting can be done.  Be Warned, however, I am going to be a bear while I am cutting down on those little white mints - just proves you can can addicted to anything.  And Alma - if I can cut out some of my Tic Tacs I bet you can cut out some "bargain must-haves."  Good luck :)