Bike Radar has a humorous article about justifying your new bike. It offers several suggestions for convincing your spouse/significant other/self that it’s okay to buy a new bike. One suggestion is as follows:
It’s less expensive than a humongous HDTV.
This
will take a little bit of preparation, but is well worth it. For about
three weeks, don’t mention the new bike you want. At all.
Instead, with increasing intensity and frequency, begin talking about
how you’re thinking about getting a giant high-def television. And a
Blu-Ray DVD player. And a subscription to high-def cable/satellite (or
both!). And a serious sound system to go with it. Be very, very open
about how much this will cost — about three times as much as the bike
you want.Argue convincingly (not too convincingly, though) and loudly about why you ought to get this massive entertainment system.About
the time your boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/parent is at wit’s end,
capitulate. Right in the middle of an argument, act like a light’s just
come on in your head. “You know, you’re right!” you say,
catching them off-guard. “It’s outrageously expensive and it would just
rot my brain, especially when a new bike would cost me less than half as much!”They’ll
be so relieved — not to mention pleased at having clearly won an
argument with you — they’ll just let that remark go. Next day, you come
home with the new bike, as the two of you agreed.Bonus:
It’s possible this technique will backfire on you and your significant
other will really get into the idea of buying a home theatre system.
That’s the beauty of this technique: even if you lose, you win!