Something most women can agree we are guilty of is the fact that we are victims of impulse buying. What is impulse buying? To put things simply, impulse buying is having no heart or sound mind to say “no” to random and useless expenses.
Add to this the ease of impulse buying in the world of e-commerce. With a simple swipe and tap on the phone, you can spend thousands of dollars in one sitting.
Plenty of factors affect this behaviour, but the most common is the need to feel that we are in control. This commonality among impulse buyers became even more rampant during the pandemic because the spread of an infectious virus made all of us feel so vulnerable and powerless.
So, in order to bring the power back to us, we shop. Because we can’t control whether we get infected or not, we get that control back by maximizing our free will to choose what to put in our shopping carts – virtual or real. That is the psychology behind impulse buying.
But, regardless of the cause, impulse buying is never a wise decision, even if you have a lot of means. What ends up happening when you keep this habit up is hoarding galore. The more items you add to your cart, the more junk ends up in your home.
Top 3 Tips To Resist Impulse Buying at Home
Image Source: iStock
Most mums and dads struggled with impulse buying while stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re also guilty of this because it’s hard to resist purchasing stuff for our home and our children.
Additionally, most parents found it hard to resist impulse buying because they notice things that they think they might need. Essential appliances like a rice cooker or a baby bottle warmer seem like they need an upgrade when you’re at home looking at them all the time.
So, what should you do to ensure you stop this habit of impulse buying? We’ve consulted the experts and we found these three top tips for resisting impulse buying at home. Let’s discuss them one by one:
Do a Financial Cleanse for a Week or Two
Consider this like your abstinence from shopping. Why is abstinence from impulse buying necessary? Because it allows you to be more mindful of your spending habits and helps you develop new healthy ones.
What exactly happens in a financial cleanse? You try to go through one week without going to the mall or browsing through your shopping apps and buying anything.
If you do most of your shopping on your phone, delete your shopping apps, for now, to help you resist temptation. Hide your credit cards too, if that helps. Delete your credit card information everywhere, so the ease of shopping becomes less and less.
And if you need to buy groceries, have your partner or friend do it for you. Give them a list only of things that you will need. Then, let them buy. Grocery shopping is the gateway to impulse buying.
One moment, you’re telling your husband you just need a broomstick; then, you come back from the grocery holding two or three shopping bags of things that aren’t broomsticks. If you have to give someone a gift, make one instead of buying one.
A financial cleanse can be really hard if you consider yourself having the worst case of impulse buying, so tagging a friend along with this journey truly helps a lot. And, it benefits them too because they get to save their money.
Image Source: iStock
Have a Plan Ready When You Relapse
It’s funny thinking we need to use addiction terminologies to talk about how to treat impulse buying. But, if you take a look at it, the act truly appears to be an addiction. So, let’s use the same terms.
When you go on a cleanse, pretty much with any type of cleanse, you are bound to relapse and end up becoming a worse shopaholic than before. It happens. But, just because it happens, it doesn’t mean we won’t do anything about it.
First, you have to identify your triggers. What are the things that make you want to buy impulsively? Is it when you get really tired? Do you do it when you get really angry? Or, how about when you see a sale?
Once you have identified those triggers, come up with ways you can avoid such triggers so you can avoid impulse buying. If you find yourself impulsively shopping after being stressed, find another way to relax. Get a massage, watch some Netflix or jog.
If those do not help, find a partner you can talk about these things with: your husband, your sister, or your therapist – anyone you can trust.
Be Mindful before You Spend
The reason impulse buying persists is that you pay no mind when you spend. So, this time, be mindful. Before making any purchase, make it a habit to ask: do I really need this item?
Does spending on this item get me closer to my financial goal? Will my children need this for a long time? Rest on these questions before making a purchase, and you’ll surely be able to avoid impulse buying.
There you have it. Our top three effective tips to help you fight your impulsive buying addiction. Stick to these three golden rules, and YOU will be golden.
