The Short Stories We Tell Ourselves About Everyday Spending

I love a good story. In fact, I used to tell myself at least one new story every time I opened my credit card statement. “Oh,” I’d say to myself, “I was so busy last month, it makes perfect sense that I ate out a dozen times. I’ll just eat out less next month.”

Other months, I’d invent a fantastic story about why I thought it was a good idea to spend so much on new bike gear. “Man, I really needed a new jersey,” I’d say. “The other 10 were in the laundry, and I had a ride the next morning.”

Read the rest of the article on The New York Times.