Knowing the Difference Between Wants and Needs

What are "needs"? What are "wants"?

"Needs" are what we need to live. "Wants" include everything else we might like to have, but we don't need to survive. For practice, check the boxes below depending if it's a need or a want.

Separating needs from wants helps get spending under control.

Need

Want

New coat


Larger apartment


Water


Telephone


Designer jeans


Dining table


Milk


Shoes


Bed


Call waiting


Car


Cable TV


Paper towels


Disposable diapers


Lottery tickets

In general, the following could be considered "wants": call waiting, cable TV, and lottery tickets. Other items that may be "wants" (depending on the circumstances) might be: larger apartment, paper towels, and disposable diapers. "Needs" could be water, shoes, and bed.