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It is better to be the hammer than the nail. The idiom can be interpreted in several versions but it's mainly about taking control over life/things is way better and important than just being a follower. This can not only be used in general discussions but only apply to finances/economics. Recently I learned a lesson from my foolish behaviour and I think it'll set a good example. Please let me explain.

Weeks ago, I met with one of my old friends and we had a nice time having dinner and talking about life. The diner was in a shopping plaza so we went to shop after dinner. Everthing was good and we spent bunch of money buying some useless things. On the way back home, I soon realized that I did not need those things at all. I was not feeling sorry for the money, it was just over 100 dallors and that's the money I can surely afford to lose. However, I felt bad for the irrational rush to buy things that I don't really need. It's like the money is manipulating me to spend it to prove that I have money. But hell no, I am not a show-off person and I am living just fine with my life. I am the master of my money and my life and I refuse to be labeled by what I have owned, although I own a lot of things.

So what the point is? you seems to contradicts one to another, but you're already realized about it lol.

As long as you're already afford $100 to lose, I don't think you need to think you're using that's money without a point and regret after that. The fact you still have a lot money and you've own a lot things, which mean it's not hurt you and there's no problem to spend small money for self reward.

Money management is a must, but don't forget to enjoy your life.

If you are a girl, then I can understand your behavior about shopping (joke).
The comparison of a hammer and a nail is not entirely clear; perhaps this is due to the fact that they are used differently in different countries. But what I understand is that you are easy to manipulate. This is exactly what happens in large shopping malls. I worked as a sales manager. Persuading customers to buy a particular product while adding another accessory and other small details is a great example of skilled salesman work. That's what marketing is all about. But you can plan your budget and strictly adhere to the plans for purchasing the necessary goods. In other words, the more you shop wisely, the more you save, or earn, by saving. There is nothing wrong with this. You can’t call a person a miser if he controls his brain because it’s really difficult not to fall for the bait of advertising and buy things you don’t really need.

I think this is the point here. Op seem to be fray a little that he was convinced and confused at the same time to buy what he may not be needing at the moment or at far will not be important for a longtime. It is better to have self control in anything we do and including our finance and that is how we can become financially prudent and save money in this hard times. Saving money that would have be used to purchase unwanted items can be channeled into other diversed business interest and soon it will cumulate into other financial source.

On another note I think if we don't visit the malls regularly, it can make us subsceptible to falling for any little conviction at the point of sale especially when we have "loose" This is what I notice because some people don't plan or have a tight budget of their expenses when or if they are buoyant to the expenditure.

It is easier to visit shopping centers at a certain time and buy groceries for a certain period. So you make really necessary purchases, even if you pamper yourself a little. The more completely your house is filled with the necessary products, the less often you visit stores, and accordingly, you do not buy too much. Because we go for some little thing, we spend more, as we buy more "for the company."
But yes, I agree, there are times when we need to enjoy shopping, chat with friends, and thereby get a feeling of happiness if this is not associated with psychological problems. Shopping, in fact, can be compared to an addiction.
Therefore, those who feel guilty should limit themselves to going to the big malls for the sake of their health.

Trust me, @OP, I get it. This is a lesson that everyone should take to heart, since we can't allow ourselves to be ruled by our finances. It's excellent that you've realized this and are making efforts to curb your expenditures.

I believe it's vital to examine the motivations behind our financial decisions and determine if they are in line with our beliefs and objectives. Money is a versatile resource that may help us achieve our goals or bring us down if we aren't attentive. Creating and adhering to a budget will help you avoid making unnecessary purchases like the ones you highlighted. By doing so, you may monitor your expenditure and direct your resources toward your highest priorities.

A further tactic is to wait at least a day before making any major purchases. You may use this time to decide whether or not the item is something you need or desire before making the purchase. By adopting these routines, you'll have more authority over your financial situation and be better able to direct your resources toward achieving your objectives. Putting in the time and effort required is well worth it. Do not forget that you are in charge of your own life and finances.

Mostly women fall for such things and they known for buying things especially expensive ones which they never use or after once, and it doesn't mean you didn't value the money its because you can't resist what you're seeing with it. But trust me billions of others have the same issue that is why we are in the remaining 90%.

It's always good to be the hammer than the nail being continuously hitting on the head, but the question to ask oneself being the hammer is that what exactly are you hitting, are you hitting the nail on the head or you're just beating around the bush, what significance has your efforts in life contributed, are they visible and evident, are your targets achievable abd realistic or you're just like the sounding symbals making noise.

Sometimes friends also greatly affect our responsiveness to shopping, especially if it's a good friend from our past, of course I feel embarrassed if I shop with him or spend money to have fun with friends I haven't seen for a long time. Indirectly we will be forced to spend money even though we ourselves don't want to spend it. the financial management that we have gotten along with seems to have no limits when it comes to meeting with friends let alone for fun. and sometimes it's true as you say when we have a lot of money myself sometimes feel manipulated by what I have.

It is your ego that shows, like if your friend bought something, your ego would tell you that you need to buy it too, though it is not to show off but to fill the void in your feelings. Though you say that money is telling you to spend it made me think you are earning big as my self i will not spend a penny on those useless things even my mind was telling me that you have an extra money to spend. But again, you realize it later, which is good, and for sure, you will not do it again when you are with your friends.

It will depend on how we behave when we meet old friends and we don't need to show other people that we have changed and now have money.
We must know what is necessary and what is not necessary so that we don't use money recklessly by buying things we don't need.
But that's us as human beings and maybe we need recognition from our friends that our lives have changed for the better and money is not a problem for us.
We need to be wise so that we don't follow what we don't need but can still be good friends with them.

It's great you have enough to spend but remember lavish spending can turn a rich man to a poor one. For example, let's assume you have $30,000 and you keep spending $200 every week lavishly without working to earn more, such person will end up with nothing within few months. Making a serious plan for ones money is highly useful and help in controlling lavish spending no matter what happens.

The same thing has happened to me before. I used to spend so much for things that I don't really need and regretted it later on. I agree that we should be the hammer than to the nail. We should rule over our lives as well as how we live them. Taking control of our lives including our decisions when it comes to finances is too important. We can't be nails where our urges and desires would always control us. We should take over when it comes to decision-making and don't follow what's on trend.m or what our colleagues would ask us to do. The way we control our lives matter because it's also how we build our future.

But the hammer would be of great value if nails were present.

Actually spending $ 100 a day is not a stupid behavior, especially if you spend it with your old friends who have not seen each other for a long time. Is it for entertainment or for dinner together. Because it is a necessity for every human being.
If humans keep thinking about business, even if they regret spending money on themselves, I think that's the most stingy person. Even if we say that the things we buy are not very important or useless.
I'm sure, the beaver bought is not a child's toy, so it can't be useless.
People who only think about work, work and work, but they are afraid to spend money on themselves, usually have abnormalities in thinking. Because it doesn't spend money every day like that. Only occasionally.

You can be either just dont stand still and wait to get hit repeatedly.  Everything has a purpose, some people try to argue never spend BTC and I see what they intend but BTC should be used or it will amount to nothing.  All these cycles and the attempts we make to profit in theory are required to circulate BTC and make sure its used.   

You are aware of what you are doing, so it should have been resolved, but now the goods have been purchased, so you don't need to regret it, just enjoy the shopping and use it as best you can even if you don't really need it :D
On the other hand, talking about manipulation, actually I still feel this comes back to myself, but this is quite natural because indeed when we have money, whether it's important or not, as long as we want it, even if it's for a moment, we will definitely buy it and it will happen to you.
I think that something like this doesn't only happen to you, but most people have experienced this.

Disagree, that means ignoring the function of nails in the benefits that can be provided and the two need each other according to my analogy.

Then what's the point of you buying the item if you really don't need it at all, while in another paragraph you say it's not good and then buy the item, isn't this also an analogy of the process of proving that you have money.

Most people only rely on prestige to look capable and often neglect how to use money sufficiently. If you can't use money properly, then no matter how much money you have, it will run out, while there are many people out there who have difficulty making ends meet in the midst of an increasingly difficult economy, recession and inflation that continues

Usually that's how young women behave, they just want to look perfect in front of their friends. Life is not who looks capable, but who can make the right decisions.

Yeah, I like how you opened up to make him understand, the spirit of buying something you later realize you don't have its uses is with anyone, sometimes as a human you got something by yourself  and after you get it you later realize you don't need it, that's the spirit of nature of all human, and those things can be given to those in need or sell it to another person who is in need and even profit from the items.

Indeed, sometimes it is difficult for us to control when we have money, especially if we shop with friends, relatives or someone special. Yes, we can't think long and hard when we see the items we want to buy at that time, and with no burden, of course, we will voluntarily buy these items. Yes, this kind of thing must have become an open secret, although in the end the same thing is repeated, yes, we finally realize that what we buy is not really what we need. But when everything has happened, as you said, then use the item properly, or I usually sell the item again, even if it has to be sold at a lower price.

Maybe get rid of the stuff you don't need, it could help make you feel from free as that stuff wouldn't define you. You could get probably money out of it if you are not a giving type.
But that said, sometimes we need irrational behavior to relax. And often that requires money to let out some steam or relax. So don't feel bad about the money you spend. It was only $100 and sometimes we need to treat ourselves, no matter how silly that would be.

Although i have no idea what the hammer and nail are representing in your story. If you are talking about self control then not all proverbs are meant to be transferable as right solutions in life.

It's like the norm these days, it's not just about impressing some old folks you know. I know a man who bought a $65,000 car just to show he is a successful businessman as he became a figure in his own circle of friends, he has to maintain his success story because it's necessary for his business to get more clients. And he does get clients because of his successful figure. He does control his life and finances, right?

However, if he fails, that's falling flat from way up down the ground. It's better still to control. If the old car still works, why replace it with new?

There is a saying that we get influence by the people around us. If you have a friend that is a gambler, drinker, smoker, etc. then you will eventually do all those things. To avoid this, it would be better to avoid hanging out with them. It's okay to lose them than to regret and still blame them later on.

You can also confess it directly to them and I think they will understand you. A hammer is more superior than a nail so it's better to be a hammer. Money is only just a thing so it should not control us. There are still ways to live properly with a less money on hand and some people have proved it already. These people are in fact more happier now.