tips on dealing with impulsive buying

Hey readers,

I think now and again we have all acted on impulse. It may be the odd item that is impulsive but a lot of people impulsive buying turns into a regular occurrence. 

So, it might be a good idea t put in strategies to stop yourself from having a desire to spend impulsively so regularly. Here are my top tips below. 

1. No spend days.

I do this twice a week and it is really great to train yourself to have a time where you don't spend money. 

It is like a reset button and helps make you think before you spend. It also gives back control of your situation and makes you appreciate the things that you already have around you.

2. Newsletters.

Unsubscribe to company newsletters this stops the urge especially when the company try to entice you in with some sort of sale. Out of sight, out of mind is key and if you don't think about it then do you really need that item in your life?

3. Shopping list.

It helps to plan ahead and one way of doing this would be to have a shopping list beforehand of all the things you need. 

It is important to stick to this method and not deviant away from what you plan to buy. This helps keep you in check with your finances.

 Having a shopping list gives you back control which will inturn in the long run give you confidence that you are keeping your finances in check. 

4. Ask questions. 

If you are seeing something in a shop and feel the desire to buy right here, right now then a good way to decide is to ask yourself, do I really need this? will I use it? can I  afford it? 

Giving yourself that time to think about it instead of instantly caving and buying can help stop you in your tracks and again gives you back control as your not acting but deciding on what to do first.

5. Plan your purchase. 

If there is something that you desperately want then plan your purchase.  So for example, if you need to get someone a birthday present plan beforehand, set an amount you want to spend, what you are going to buy and find the best present by researching around.

 This way you are in control and you can save money buying finding the best price before going shopping. 

6. Goals.

If you want to save up for something (e.g. earphones) then it might be a good idea to set up a fund to save up each week with a set amount. Yet again it reinforces the sense of control but also gives you delayed gratification, which personally I think s better than impulsive gratification. 

Having delayed gratification means you can enjoy for example the earphones when you have saved enough money. You have waited and known that if you put the effort into saving you will be rewarded. Therefore there is more pleasure as you have worked hard to save for the wanted item. 

What do you think about impulsive buying? Have I missed a tip out on my list that you think is a good way of controlling impulsive buying? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below. 

Cheers for reading X