How To Curb Impulse Buying

Here we are, on the verge of the holidays. If you have a home full of stuff already, you may feel a bit anxious and overwhelmed about all the new gifts that will make their way through your front door in the next month or so. Also, there’s all the shopping you may be doing for others – and yourself!

Many of us find it hard not to treat ourselves during this season of presents. We see a good deal and think “oh, I love that!” Or “I should get that!” We frequently don’t stop to consider if we truly want it, can afford it, and have time for it. With all of that in mind, I want to share some simple tips and habit shifts that help prevent me from making misguided impulse purchases (especially when my brain says, “GO FOR IT!”).

Tip One: Declutter!

OK, professional home organizers recommend this all the time because it really works! The less you have, the easier it is to know what you truly need. Take some time to tidy up your home and office before the holidays roll in.

Tip Two: Use What You Already Have

Thinking back over the last year, I’ve been shocked at how often I felt the urge to buy something I already own a perfectly good version of! It’s jarring how I get swayed by advertising! I think I “need” a new basket, face masks or gel pens. But when I take a look around my home, I see that I have enough of these items already, and buying more would be downright wasteful. So, I’ve learned to leave items in the virtual shopping cart and take a quick inventory of what I own. I empty my cart and close the browser tab when I find duplicates. This tip alone saves me so much money.

Tip Three: Practice Waiting

We live in an instant-gratification world, so if you can refrain from reacting immediately, you can genuinely learn not to impulse buy so often. I typically wait a day or two (or more if it’s a big-ticket item) and see how I feel when I return to it. Most of the time, I lose the desire or, even better, forget what I thought I HAD to have! It’s magical, really. And very freeing.

Tip Four: Remove Temptation

If you don’t know what’s out there, you won’t see what you’re missing! Go through your phone and email and search for the sites you buy from most frequently. Then hit unsubscribe from their newsletters. A bonus tip is that your email will have less digital clutter! You can also block or limit access to shopping websites using a browser extension or app.

Tip Five: Ditch the Credit Cards

Buying things online, or with one-click purchasing is so very easy (and that’s no accident – retailers know we love it when things are easy, and it helps push us to impulse buy more than we need). The problem is that paying electronically leaves us feeling disconnected from our finances. One idea is to take credit cards out of your wallet and pay with cash, like the old-fashioned days! This takes some serious discipline, but you will definitely be much more careful with what you open your wallet for. Another strategy is to remove credit cards from your accounts with online retailers. This simple switch can dramatically reduce frivolous spending by creating enough friction to make it easier to keep it moving. The idea is to make shopping less convenient, so you have to really think about what you’re about to do.

Tip Six: Ask Yourself This

When in doubt, ask yourself these questions:

• Can I afford this item without stress or debt?

• Do I already own something that accomplishes the same thing?

• Will this item add value to my life?

• Will I use this item at least thirty times?

• Do I like my reasons for buying this item?

Tip Seven: Be Grateful

If you take the time to look around and see how lucky you are to have what you do, it can help prevent impulse spending and buyer's remorse. Remember that many people would love to have your abundance. Not to mention that the dopamine hit we get when purchasing new things only lasts 17 seconds! Think about rewarding things you can do for others that don’t involve spending money.

By practicing these tips, you can keep your money in your bank account and prevent yourself from overconsuming unneeded things. Because as we all know, the best things in life aren’t things, right?