My Different Perspective Potential Disaster

Help! Hayes is doing that little-kid thing where he asks for e-ver-y-thing he sees on TV. And, truth be told, it's driving me absolutely crazy.

Rather than say yes or no, I decided to approach the whole thing from a different perspective. I thought to implant the message that he not always rely on someone else to give him the things that he wants. So now, every time he asks me if I will buy him whatever is being marketed on the TV commercial he happens to be watching, I tell him that I won't, but that he can take joy in buying it for himself someday.

Clearly, I have issues. Because the problem is that Hayes is three years old. And of course, he has to depend on me to give him the things he wants. And while he will someday have plenty of money, and do with it whatever he wishes, I do not mean to send the wrong message.

But when the day comes that he finally is able to buy his own things, I fear I might have a monster to contend with. Because what am I going to do if he feels entitled to purchase all the crazy things he will want, and actually be able, to buy rather than empowered to do so? What then can I say? On second thought, what now? What should I say now to prevent a potential disaster?