Ways to buy things without going into debt

Let's admit it, when we get the urge to buy something, we want to buy it now. The problem is, many of us don't have the money to buy whatever thing it is right now, so we charge it. This can lead to some serious debt problems, and must be kept in check. Here are some ideas for buying the things you want without going into debt:

1. Sell stuff
We've all got stuff sitting around our houses that we don't use or need anymore? Why not sell the stuff we don't want for what we do want. There are hundreds of ways to do this, have a garage sale, list stuff on Craigslist or Ebay, or classifieds. An easier option to sell electronics is to sell them to Gazelle. You tell them what you have, and they tell you how much they'll give you for it, plus they'll pay for all the shipping. You probably won't get as much as you would on Ebay, but Gazelle is quicker and more convenient.

2. Save up
This is in my opinion the best option to buy something without having to go into debt. If you keep track of your finances, it's easy to designate a little from each paycheck to go towards buying something. Also, if you cut out some unnecessary expenses for a while, you can accelerate your savings.

3. Look for deals
The less you have to pay, the less amount of time you have to save. For electronics, Amazon is always a good place to start, as well as Buy.com. If you keep a close watch on websites such as these, you can usually catch a sale on whatever it is you're trying to buy.

4. Learn to be content
One option that will probably make you a better person is to learn to be content with what you have. Think to yourself, "Do I really need this thing, or can I get by without it?" If you learn to be content, you can save a lot of money, however, it is also the least fun option to learn.

Whatever you do, please don't go into debt for something you don't absolutely have to have. It doesn't make sense to be paying 10 years for a computer that lasts three. Save up, look for deals, or get rid of some old junk.