Whenever you are having a bad day at work, you come home thinking a hot shower would make everything better. But then the geyser is not working, and now your day has become worse. You sit down, curled up in a blanket, and start looking for deals on Amazon and other shopping apps. You keep adding your favorite stuff in the cart and buy all of it in one go. Soon you are filled with regret as your budget goals just went for a toss right in front of your eyes. This retail therapy culture is a reality of most buyers today.
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Retail therapy is when you try to cheer yourself up by buying gifts and treats for yourself. There are high chances that once your emotional phase has passed, you’ll feel worse than good about the purchase. But you need not worry as impulse buying is something you can control. Here are some ways to prevent you from stop overspending and then wiping your tears with your shopping card.
1. Plan your Expenses
At the start of every month sit down with a pen and a diary to plan the budget for the entire month. You can also plan the budget online by using a budget app. When you set a clear-cut goal regarding how you want to spend your money, it is highly unlikely that you’ll spend that money on making impulse purchases. Every time your emotions start to take control of you, take a glance at your budget.
2. Control your Emotions
There was an 18% increase in impulse spending among Americans during the pandemic. Anxiety and uncertainty made people make unnecessary feel-good purchases. You can stop yourself from drowning in the sea of emotions. Practical and well-thought-out decisions can help you control the high amount of dopamine released whenever you are about to make an impulsive purchase.
3. Accountability Partner
Whenever you feel like making a purchase, call up your best friend and tell them what you are thinking of buying. See if that sounds reasonable to them. This will help you look at your purchase decision from a different perspective, and your accountability partner can make sure you do not spend extra on unnecessary items.
4. Turn off Notifications
Shopping apps constantly send notifications, making frequent shoppers aware of the new deals or offers. You are most likely to fall into such temptations, especially when you keep checking your buzzing phone. Turn off the notifications to avoid getting lured as soon as there is a new deal on your favorite shopping app.
5. Card Games
People who make impulsive purchases can do so because they know their card numbers by heart. Most people save their cards for future payments. If you are one of those, try to remove your cards to avoid making instant purchases.
Impulse buying is addictive and satisfying. No matter how much you want to avoid it, it takes hold of you. But worry not. By following the above-mentioned advice, you can easily control it. If you follow other ways to stop overspending, share them in the comment box below.
