How to Prevent Impulse Buying

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By A. Suzanne Wells
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Prevent Impulse Buying

Impulse buying is defined as an unplanned or spontaneous purchase. Impulse buying is what puts many people into debt or plays havoc with their monthly budget. If you are always running short on cash or don’t seem to have enough money to pay bills, you may have an impulse buying problem. Learn how to control the urge to purchase items on impulse and be smarter about spending your hard earned money.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Step 1

Understand wants versus needs. If your shoes are falling apart and held together with duct tape, you NEED new shoes. If you have 12 pairs of new shoes still in the box in your closet, you don’t NEED new shoes, you WANT new shoes. Ask yourself this question before making a purchase, “Do I really need this?”
Step 2

Avoid stores or store departments where you may lose control. If shoes are your weakness, stay away from shoe stores. If you compulsively buy CDs and DVDs, stay out of that section at WalMart.
Step 3

Pay cash for all of your purchases. It is much harder to hand over cash than to swipe a credit card. Once the cash is gone, it is gone.
Step 4

Leave credit cards at home. If you don’t have them with you, you can’t use them.
Step 5

Wait 24 hours before making an unplanned purchase. Go home and think about it. The store and the merchandise aren’t going anywhere! You may be able to talk yourself out of the purchase once you are out of the shopping environment. You didn’t need it yesterday; do you really need it today?
Step 6

Realize that sales occur on a regular basis. Do you talk yourself into making a purchase because it is on sale? There will always be another sale! You can wait for the next one. (Your discount may be even bigger.)
Step 7

Do you buy items for yourself because you deserve them? Everyone deserves nice things. But, you also deserve not to be in debt. Thoughtfully consider which you prefer – that new outfit, or financial freedom.
Step 8

Remember the feeling of “credit card bill shock.” You know, you get your credit card bill in the mail, your heart drops into your stomach, you feel nauseous, and nearly faint. You get mad at yourself and feel ashamed of overspending. Remember that feeling the next time you are about to buy something you don’t need or haven’t planned to purchase. Carry that credit card bill with you as a reminder.
Step 9

If you are married or in a relationship where expenses are shared, create some spending guidelines and stick to them. Some couples have a rule to discuss with the other spouse if they want to buy an item over a certain dollar amount. This isn’t asking for permission, but agreeing on how to spend money as a couple.
Step 10

If your spending is completely out of control and is affecting your life and relationships, consider joining Shopaholics Anonymous. Your compulsive shopping may be an addiction tied to other issues such as anxiety, depression, or another emotional problem. You can get help.

Comments

grove said

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on 2/2/2009 These are terrific ideas. There's a group called Debtors Anonymous (in addition to the one you mentioned) that helps people recover from this problem.

LissaK said

on 12/18/2008 This is a very much needed article. I think many people can end up impulsive buying because it is so easy to do! I will definitely use these tips, and it's true, NEEDS should come before WANTS! *****