Most of us can easily fall into impulsive buying, particularly when flash discount offers are all around us. The good news? You can break this habit.
I'll explain in detail how I stopped impulsive buying in this post, and you can too. Both your money and your future will thank you for this.
Contents
What Is Impulse Buying?
Impulse buying is when you buy goods on the spot without thinking about it. They are usually things that you don't truly need or don't have a plan to buy.
You know, it's the purchasing decision driven by emotions like boredom, excitement, or FOMO (fear of missing out).
And those shiny offers and limited-time discounts tempt us a lot, especially with thrifting shopping. That's why we easily fall for buying without giving it a second thought.
Why Is Impulse Buying Not Good?
Impulsive buying may seem harmless at first. Who doesn't enjoy a little shopping therapy? However, the fact is that those little unplanned purchases can drain your wallet faster than you may recognize.
Furthermore, impulsive purchases often result in clutter. All of a sudden, you have so much stuff in your house. Unfortunately, you don't need to use most of them.
You may even feel guilty since you could have saved the money or used it for something valuable.
4 Common Signs of Impulse Buying
I didn't even realize I was tempted by impulse buying in the past. Then, look at these 4 signs to see if you're in:
- You Shop When You're Upset, Bored, Or Stressed
Many of us shop only to improve our mood or to fill the gap in the day.
- Convince Yourself That You “Deserve It”
“I truly earned this—I worked hard this week.” – When you're looking for an excuse, it's easy to justify a random purchase with this.
- You Buy Things To Impress Others
This is a quick way to waste money and lose sight of what truly brings you joy.
- You Feel Regretful Or Return Things
If you’ve ever opened your closet and wondered, “Why did I even buy this?” — you’re not alone.
How To Avoid Impulse Buying?
It doesn't mean that you have to stop buying enjoyable stuff. It's about buying with the purpose and preventing you from regrets later. Here are some realistic ways I tried to dodge impulse buys.
Stay Away From Temptation
It sounds simple, right? But it works. And this is exactly what I did to stop myself from impulse shopping:
- Unfollow influencers or shopping accounts that brag about their latest purchases
- Unsubscribe from store emails to stay away from tempting messages like “50% off today only!”
- Block shopping websites or delete apps that you can’t resist
- Skip using “buy now, pay later” programs like Klarna or Afterpay. They make it too simple to make purchases without considering the consequences.
Honestly, you won't desire it if you can't see it. Instead, I write a journal, do gardening, or even start a blog. You will soon recognize that spending money isn't the only method to improve your attitude.
Make A Regret List After Impulse Buying
My secret – “Seeing” what you regret is much more effective than “thinking” what you regret. Yep — I made a “Regret List” and it opened my eyes real quick.
I’d write down:
- What I bought
- How much it cost
- Why I bought it
- How I felt afterward
When you track your regrets, it makes you think twice before clicking “Add to Cart” next time. If you’ve never tried this method, you must give it a shot.
Set A Budget
When you don't have a clear financial plan, you will easily overspend. That's why you need to set a budget. Not complicated at all!
Choose Your Budget Method
You can start with the simple 50/30/20 rule. 50% of your income is for needs, 30% is for wants, and 20% is for debt and savings. And tips: Always stick to your rule!
Or else, you can apply the 60/20/20 rule. This is perfect if you'd like to focus more on your essentials. 60% for basic living expenses, 20% for savings and debts, and 20% left for anything you want.
My favorite choice? The cash envelope system. You put the cash into many labeled envelopes, each for different categories. And you must stop spending for that category in that month when the envelope is empty.
Build Fun Money
After you cover all your bills, savings, and other essentials, it's great to treat yourself with a little spending money. It could be $20 or $100 to buy some enjoyable things. In this way, you won’t drain your wallet.
Let Any Dollar Do It Job
Birthday cash, bonus, or any extra money – give it a job right away when you get it (savings or learn new skills). This will stop you from spending on unnecessary things.
Pause Before You Buy
Whenever I feel that urge to buy something, I pause and ask myself a few honest questions, like:
- Why do I want this right now?
- If no one else saw this item, would I still want it?
- Do I have something similar to this one already?
Another trick I use is the 24-hour rule. Before buying something, force yourself to wait for a full day. I swear that 9 times out of 10 you'll forget about that stuff.
For more expensive items, put them on your wishlist and wait for 30 days. And how weird, I forget or wondered: “Why did I even want to buy this one?“
Create A Separate Account For Non-essential Spending
Okay, let’s be honest — No matter how strict we are, there are always going to be little treats we want to buy. The key is to plan for it.
One simple way I use to manage my impulse purchases is to set up a separate spending account for non-essential stuff. It's just like your personal “fun fund.”
This is money you can use for whatever you want — a new phone case, a random kitchen gadget — without blowing your budget.
Here are my tips that will work for you:
- Set a monthly amount for your “fun fund”: $20, $50, or $100 – give it a number and stick to it.
- Transfer it at the start of the month: Consider it as paying for a bill.
- Use a debit card only: This will prevent you from overspending with a credit card.
Trust me. All of these will make you feel extra satisfied because you know you're spending responsibly.
Final Words
Next time, if you're tempted to impulse buy to fill an emotional void, use my tips. You need to follow the rules, and create healthy habits, but don't forget to give yourself a little grace along the way.
So whenever you feel the urge to click that “Add to cart”, take a deep breath, pause for a moment, and remind yourself: you’ve got this.