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Although impulse purchases can create a temporary ‘high’ in your brain, they can also leave you with lingering guilt and regret
Life coach Nidhika Bahl offers the following tips:
1. Question
Before completing your purchase, ask yourself how you will use the product(s) you are considering? Do you have similar items at home? Write down your financial goals and create a rough plan of how you will achieve them. This can give you a better idea of how much spare money you really have at your disposal.
2. Create and stick to a budget
Decide how much you can afford to spend in advance. Remember that occasional indulgences must be exceptions, not the rule. Similarly, making a list before you go shopping can eliminate the guesswork and, consequently, wasteful purchases.
3. Wait it out
When shopping online, add the items you are interested in purchasing to your wish list or cart for a few days, instead of purchasing them on the spot. Revisit your cart after a few days and assess whether you really want to go through with the sale. For larger purchases, experts recommend waiting for up to 30 days.
4. Avoid shopping haunts
If you tend to shop as a means of passing your time, avoid retail spots such as malls except for necessities. Delete shopping apps from your phone – the act of looking for specific items as opposed to mindless browsing can help you cut down on unnecessary purchases.
5. Use credit carefully
Where possible, use cash for purchases. If you are using a credit card, make sure to pay your bill in its entirety every month. Going over your bill can help you to evaluate your purchases and establish healthier spending habits.
6. Calculate value in time
Engaging the logical part of your brain can help to counter the emotional spending impulse. Ask yourself how much time it would take to earn what the item costs.
7. Take inventory
Most compulsive shoppers already own a cache of items they don’t remember buying or haven’t used as often as they may have wanted to. Periodically clean out your wardrobe and storage and assess what you own. Organising your belongings so that you can easily reach for what you need is an excellent way to remember what you already own.
8. Space it out
Trying to eliminate impulse purchases can be difficult if you’re already accustomed to binge shopping. Setting yourself smaller, less intimidating targets can be a step in the right direction – allow yourself one new inexpensive item a month or a slightly more expensive item every quarter, for instance. Doing so gives you something to look forward to, while also helping you to curb a wasteful habit.
