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I wasn’t in the market for a cashmere sweater. Last thing on my mind, really.

But then I saw this Barbie-doll type woman on a Zoom call sporting this super chic, navy blue sweater with hot pink, stitched letters that read, “Cup of Ambition”.

That’s me! I’m a cup of ambition!

Instant obsession.

I searched the internet for it. Why I didn’t just ask the fashionista wearing it where she got it, I’ll never know.

Forty-five minutes later, I found it!…and it was $350.

Yikes.

I really liked the sweater…but for $350??

If you’ve been following along with me for a while, you know that I love my money and try to take good care of it.

For me, that means only spending money on things I value.

Did I really value this sassy cashmere sweater?

I do like making a strong statement…but how often would I really wear it?

I went back and forth. Do I buy it or not?

Is it worth the money?

Sometimes, that’s a hard question to answer.

Have you ever been in a similar situation?

As a business owner, I bet it occurs almost as often as random hairs sprout up between the eyebrows.

And while the decision about what to do with the random eyebrow hairs is simple and obvious (where’s the tweezers?), the question of “Is it worth the money?” is a lot more complicated.

Why?

Because sometimes you have to spend money to make money…

…like spending on podcast editing software so you can get your message out there, establish some street cred, and sell your program.

Sometimes you need to invest in yourself/business with classes, training, or coaching…

…so you can get out of your own way and start finishing projects- instead of running with a million ideas and finishing zero. (I’m talking about myself here. )

But coaching and classes usually aren’t cheap, and sometimes it’s hard to determine if you’ll see a return on that investment.

To spare you from the back and forth internal conflict, I created a scorecard to help you decide if something is actually worth the money.

Ask yourself the following questions as they apply to the thing you’re thinking of buying:

1. How expensive is it?

2. How likely is it that this thing will increase my income in some way?

3. How much joy, pleasure, or fulfillment will I get from it?

4. How much will this thing help me grow into the person I want to become?

5. How much will this thing make my life easier/ less stressful?

6. How badly do I want it?

7. Is there a less expensive alternative that will work just as well?

Now, add up all the scores for questions 1-7.

For scores totaling  7-14:

The thing you’re thinking of buying probably isn’t worth the money. It’s too expensive, you don’t want it bad enough, or the costs outweigh the benefits. Pass.

For scores totaling 15-21:

It’s hard to say whether it’s worth the money or not. You see some benefits, but you’re still on the fence about it. Think about it for a while before making a decision. Get more info, shop around, or see if you’re still wanting this thing in a few weeks. Then, make your final decision.

For scores totaling  22-35:

You want it, and it is so worth the money to you. Go for it… And enjoy the hell out of it.

There you have it!

The next time you’re biting your nails down to nubs worrying about whether or not to buy something, pull out this scorecard and put it through the test.

I hope this tool helps make buying decisions as easy as plucking eyebrow hairs.

If it did, please share it with a friend. They will thank you ‘cause buyer’s remorse is worse than a unibrow.

If it wasn’t helpful, email me and let me know. I’ll thank you ‘cause I don’t want to be lame.

P.S. If you’re like me and don’t share because it’s too much hassle to figure out the tech, I made it really easy for you. See those social share buttons on the left? Click one. Share. Done.