Want to learn how to stop buying things you don’t need? Here’s some real-life tips to control your impulse buys!
Do you ever walk into a store for one thing and walk out with a bag full of stuff you didn’t plan to buy? Or find yourself adding one more item to your online cart—again? You’re not alone. Impulse spending is a sneaky habit that can quietly drain your savings and derail your financial goals. Here’s the good news! With awareness and a few practical strategies, you can take back control. In this post, I’ll discuss examples of impulse buys, practical tips for reducing impulse spending in stores and online, and offer mindset alternatives to get you back on track!
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What Are Impulse Buys?
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines impulse buying as, “The act of buying something that you had not planned to buy, because you suddenly want it when you see it. Impulsive spending can be related to social influence, a lack of self-discipline, or inadequate budgeting knowledge. Below are a few examples of impulse buys.
Examples of Impulse Buys
- Buying something because it’s on sale
- Buying a drink or treat at the checkout of a grocery store
- Adding an extra item to your online cart for free shipping
Why Is Impulse Spending Bad?
While fun and sometimes addicting, impulse spending can lead to serious financial consequences if left unchecked. A few large purchases or multiple small purchases can both lead to overspending and debt. It’s important to understand your income versus expenditures and to practice self-discipline when it comes to your money.
How To Stop Impulsively Buying At Stores
There are many practical ways to avoid impulse buys in grocery and retail settings. Because impulse shopping can manifest differently in each person, not every option is helpful to every person. Below are a few ways to help limit your spending. Try to choose one or two options you think would work best for your situation.
- Stay home. Find hobbies at home that don’t include walking the aisles of retail stores.
- Make a list and stick to it. If you can’t stick to a list in person, try doing pickup orders.
- Pay with cash instead of debit or credit cards.
- Set a limit for spending at each store. If you have too much in your cart before checkout, put something back to stay within your spending limit.
- Wait 24 hours or a week before buying what you want to make sure you’re truly interested in it.
- Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.
How To Stop Buying Impulsively Online
There are many practical ways to avoid impulse buys online. Because impulse shopping can manifest differently in each person, not every option is helpful to every person. Below are a few ways to help limit your spending. Look for one or two options you think would work best for your situation.
- Delete shopping apps to avoid notifications and limit temptation.
- Set a limit for Amazon purchases you can make per month.
- Delete saved credit cards online to make purchases less easy.
- Wait with the item in your cart for 24 hours or a week before buying to ensure it’s something you actually want.
Mindset Shift
While practical tips can be helpful for limiting spending, you’ll also need to shift your mindset to continue making positive changes long-term. Without a mindset change, you’ll find ways around the practical tricks or give up on them completely. Here are a few ways of thinking about spending that could change the way you act on your impulses.
- Think in terms of hours instead of dollars. How many hours of work would it cost you to buy a product?
- Get clear about your wants versus needs. Be truthful with yourself when debating purchasing an item.
- Decide that debt is not an option. If you don’t have the money, don’t buy it.
- Get skeptical. Consider how the product you want would affect your home. Do you have space to store it? Will it add to the clutter? How often will you use it? Are there alternatives that may work better for you?
- If you find that you’re easily influenced by others, avoid social media ads, influencers, and real-life friends who encourage excess spending.
- Swap the thrill of impulse buying for the satisfaction of paying off debt and watching savings grow.
I’d love to hear which tip or trick stuck out to you and how it’s worked to help you control your spending!
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