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Niche Topics (Money and Lifestyle) is about helping you manage your finances so that
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How to Control Impulse Spending
By Robert Banks
Have you ever strolled the shopping malls and returned home only to realize that half your purchases were things you didn't need? Are you easily enticed into buying things just because it was on bargain, near the cash register, came in your favorite color, or in some fanciful packaging? Tell me, are you an impulse shopper?
Ask yourself these questions:
1) Does your spouse or partner complain that you spend too much money?
2) Are you surprised each month when your credit card bill arrives at how much more you charged than you thought you had?
3) Do you have more shoes and clothes in your closet than you could ever possibly wear?
4) Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailer’s shelf?
5) Do you buy things you didn’t know you wanted until you saw them on display in a store?
If you answered “yes” to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse shopper and indulge yourself in retail therapy.
Impulse spending is not a good thing. It will prevent you from saving for the important things like a house, a new car, a vacation or retirement. You must set some financial goals and stop spending money on items that really don’t matter in the long run.
Do you know that impulse spending not only put a strain on your finances in the long run but your relationships, as well? To control the problem of impulse spending, the first thing you need to do is learn to separate your needs from your wants.
A need is something which is essential irrespective of your financial conditions (you have to have) while a want is something you would like to have.
Advertisers blitz us hawking their products at us 24/7. The trick to stop impulse
buying is to give yourself a cooling-
How to Stop Impulse Buying
When you go shopping, make a list and take only enough cash to pay for what you have planned to buy. Leave your credit cards at home. By doing so, you are less likely to buy things that you do not need, using future money. Once the cash is gone, it is gone forever. This is a great strategy to help you not get into credit card debt.
Also, do not spend your spare time browsing aimlessly through the mall. The longer you linger, the temptation of impulse spending becomes greater. Leave the store when you are done with shopping.
If possible, shop alone. Your spouse, children or friends can coax and influence you to buy something which you have no intention of purchasing.
If you see something you think you really need or like, give yourself two weeks to decide if it is really something you need or something you can easily do without. You can come back later if you really want it.
By following these simple tips, you will mend your financial fences and your relationships. Remember, you should not spend money that you do not have to buy things that you do not need, to impress people you do not like. Good luck!
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