Tips to curb impulse buying
Posted on December 11, 2007
Filed Under Self Improvement, Tips |
Photo credit: Clarita on Morguefile
I am in London for the Christmas season, seeing family and friends, and I am amazed at how geared this entire city is towards spending money. I didn’t realise it when I lived here. You can hardly step out of the house without encountering cues to spend - shops, cafes, street vendors, advertising, what other people are wearing or carrying or driving. Because it’s Christmas, there are even more pretty things in the shops. But these days I try to apply more criteria than simply “I like it!” to a decision to buy. It makes me sound like a killjoy but actually it is quite fun. You get to enjoy the idea of something for a while, but you don’t have to spend any actual money on it.
So here are a few tips to curb the impulse to spend, spend, spend!
- Consider how your life would be different if you bought this item. Would you get real benefit and value from it that no other possession of yours could give?
- Try walking out of the shop and see if you still want the item as much.
- Even better, give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period. Don’t buy it immediately but see if you still want it the next day.
- Is there something you already have that could be converted for a different purpose? For example, I sometimes wear a ‘work suit’ jacket with jeans for a smart-casual look, which means I don’t have to buy yet another jacket.
- Do you know someone who has one already? Maybe they could lend it to you (e.g. a DIY tool).
- Shop around - you might find a better and cheaper one elsewhere. Have a look on ebay too.
- Examine your reasons for making the purchase. Are you trying to cheer yourself up? Are you trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ or impress your friends? The chances are that buying something won’t fix the underlying problem making you unhappy, and most people won’t think you’re cool just because you have an iphone.
The problem with instant gratification is that the effects wear off very quickly. It’s possible to enjoy the sensation of not spending money too. You have more in your wallet to spend on the things you really care about and you are not cluttering up your life with useless junk or passing fancies.
Got any other good tips to curb impulse spending?
Stumble it!
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