• About
  • $40K Challenge
  • Aunt Doris
  • Grandfather Says
  • Privacy
  • Archives
  • Disclaimer

Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

bullion star banner

100 Words On: Why It Pays to Sleep on It Prior to a Big Decision

By Len Penzo

When youre facing an important financial decision, theres something to be said about taking a night to think it over. That’s because, when it comes right down to it, most financial decisions aren’t emergencies — although a lot of folks might think otherwise. Unfortunately, people often feel compelled to throw caution to the wind and make expensive purchases — either on impulse, or under the gun of a high-pressure salesman — without fully considering the financial consequences.

The bottom line: Few potential financial transactions we encounter legitimately require quick decisions, especially the more costly ones. So consider “sleeping on it” before pulling the trigger.

Photo Credit: Daniel Guimares

May 21, 2020

Question of the Week

Do you plan on taking a summer vacation this year?
VoteResults

Comments

  1. 1

    Lance@MoneyLife&More says

    I know that it is easy to get caught in the emotion of the moment for many things including non financial decision. When I sleep on it the emotion is normally gone the next morning and I can make a more logical decision.

    • 2

      Len Penzo says

      Works every time, Lance.

  2. 3

    The Griper says

    yup, sound advice for all of you young whippersnaappers but us oldies but still goodies tend to forget things if we sleep on it. 🙂

    • 4

      Len Penzo says

      What were we talking about, Griper? lol

  3. 5

    Len Penzo says

    For the record, I am predicting a MAJOR quake (7.5+) on the southern portion of the San Andreas Fault by the end of 2013.

    Even so, I don’t think I will be getting earthquake insurance.

  4. 6

    Ornella @ Moneylicious says

    I agree with you. I’ve told the same thing to my audience when I present my talks. Sleep offers your brain to collect itself from all the things it has processed throughout the day.

    You are absolutely right—financial decisions are not urgent. Nothing much changes overnight.

  5. 7

    Victoria Hill says

    I don’t know why people don’t come prepared when looking at a large purchase. Just know ahead of time that the other person is going to be doing everything they can to sell you, and just be ready to say no in order to come back another day 🙂

  6. 8

    Aloysa @ My Broken Coin says

    I have to admit sleep always works like a charm on me. I usually wake up and decide not to do anything, wait and see some more. Why rush into something big, right? 🙂

  7. 9

    Roger @ The Chicago Financial Planner says

    Great post, great advice. I have learned over the years to sleep on most big decisions, financial and others. An extra day often lends needed perspective.

  8. 10

    Crystal @ Prairie Ecothrifter says

    I thought that if we slept on it, we would decide it was silly to get a new house. Then I had dreams, actual dreams, about the house and the new media room. Yeah…did not work as planned. 😉

    • 11

      Les Conyers says

      I pray and wait for my answer, I learned a valuable lesson by being hasty once. The good Lord gave me back what I had lost by making a quick decision.

Trackbacks

  1. How to Stretch Your Dollar Further While on a Budget – Len Penzo dot Com says:
    June 12, 2020 at 4:15 am

    […] can sometimes pay off handsomely for savvy consumers. Indeed, by waiting a few weeks or months to make a purchase, it may be possible to secure items or services on sale or at significantly reduced prices. Note, […]

  2. The Undeniable Benefits of Studying Abroad – Len Penzo dot Com says:
    July 21, 2020 at 4:15 am

    […] the world, you should consider the fact that the world will always be ever-changing. Therefore, your decision should definitely not be solidified by current economic uncertainty or any other factors that would […]

Copyright © 2025 Len Penzo dot Com · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media

© Len Penzo dot Com 2008–2025