Dealing With the Spending Game Called "FADS:

Ever spent a ton of money on something that you thought was lame two weeks later?

Karen found really cool shoes at Target. They were red clogs with little stripes going down the side. She bought them and wore them to school. Everybody loved them. In two weeks, 16 girls had the red clogs!

Karen bought the shoes to be cool, and once everyone had a pair, they weren't so special anymore.

Follow these tips to avoid everyday obsessions, rip-offs, and splurges:

• You have a choice--instead of the expensive item, treat yourself to something smaller;
• Wait a few days and get a clearer picture of why you want to buy something;
  
• Think about whether you would keep on wearing something if your friends thought it was dorky or lame;
  
• Change your mind and save the money;
  
• Decide you'll buy whether it's a fad or not. You'll be happier with your purchase.
  
• Use creativity to enjoy fads inexpensively: Make up a character that does all of the trendy fads. Draw a picture of this character and decorate it with latest fads copied or cut from magazines. Change the cutouts as the fads change. Write a story about your character and the fads he creates.

Copyright 2008 Credit Union National Association Inc. Information subject to change without notice. For use with members of a single credit union. All other rights reserved.