Impulse Buying: 3 Realistic Ways to Stop it Now!

Truth is, there was this time you bought an umbrella or shoe or scarf on impulse and fast forward to today, that item is a lifesaver. ‘How on earth didn’t I make plans for this in the first place?’, you ask because all of a sudden that olive green scarf was the only item that matched your outfit. Yaaaay, yeah right. So, you agree with your shopaholic friend that there are definitely no dangers in impulse buying afterall.

But hey, on a deliberate shopping trip, you have:

Pop socks    Check
Chocolate Bar    Check
Phone pouch      Check
Black nail polish    Check

And none of these items are on your shopping list. It is happening for the umpteenth time and you are just not trusting of yourself anymore. You barely have money to transport yourself back home and you are wondering where the heck your money went. It’s a large shopping mall and you’ve stopped at every section of it. No, you didn’t just stop, you picked at least one item. Humph!

Impulse buying definition/ what is impulse buying?

According to Wikipedia, impulse buying is an unplanned decision to buy a product or service, made just before a purchase. In essence, it is buying something you never ever thought you would go back home with. This is usually influenced by emotions and feelings in a rush or at the moment

When we buy items we see at first sight,  we sometimes find out that they become staples over time  but this happens  very rarely.  Most of the time they are unwise purchases. To be all honest with you, the disadvantages of impulse buying far outweigh its advantages. Sad thing, however, is that with the right factors in place, you can almost not resist buying on impulse-online, offline, everywhere.

In this article,  I want to show you 3 ways to avoid wasting your money on Impulse purchases.

Shop with a prudent person

Having a shopping partner is not a bad idea.  Apart from wise picking,  they are able to tell you when you are just being stupid.  Taking time to prepare the shopping list with the person before stepping out is a good check.

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What you might need to take your eyes off every flashy item is good company.  Someone with whom  you can discuss what’s on your list.  Someone with whom you can rant about why you would prefer a brand over the other.  I bet,  there will be no time to think of a new,  unnecessary item.

Make a shopping list to avoid impulse buying

Lists don’t work everytime but they do most of the time.  Alongside items you plan to buy, write the estimated amount of money you are likely to spend on them. Don’t have on you more money than you think you should spend.

If for any ‘legal’ reason you cannot shop with someone,  use this  list and stick to it by having just a little extra money to cover for important unforseen expenses.

Take a deep breath

Patience is a gift,  but you can learn it.  Shopping days are for thinking twice. Evaluate your decision critically.  It’s all you and your mind,  nobody needs to hear the convo.  On second thought,  the black nail polish may be totally not worth it.  Yes,  it is flashy and beckoning but no,  you will never use it in 5 years to come. You need to calm down especially when you are online. Ebay! That’s the word.

So,  save yourself the stress of thinking about what to do with it when it’s time to declutter.

Next time your impulsive self is planning to shop:
Go with a partner,  a prudent one
Make a list and
Take a deep breath

Have a fabulous ‘Impulse – free’ buying.

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