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How to Spend Less When You Want to Shop More

Trick your brain to reduce impulsive splurging

By Victoria KurichenkoPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Image credit: Olya Kobruseva on Pexels

People often spend their last pennies on shiny objects searching for happiness, which they can’t buy!

You might think, what’s wrong with buying presents for beloved self. We are all guests on our planet, and we all have just one life to live. If not now, then when? Fair enough!

You agree with your inner self and make a purchase. Then comes the second one. In a blink of an eye, you count the third, fourth time you’ve made impulsive purchases to please yourself. Regular shopping is addictive!

When your brain demands new things, it’s not an occasion to devastate your wallet. There is a way to trick your brain and reduce unwise expenses.

How to Trick Your Brain and Buy Less When You Want to Buy More

If your shelves are full of random purchases and you can’t resist making a new one— these tips will help you rethink the way you shop.

I don't believe when people say, "you will greatly save your money if you decide to buy essentials only." I don't say excessive purchases is a good thing, but saving, for the matter of saving, is a sign of being a cheapskate, not a frugal.

I follow just a few practices to rationalize my purchases that can help you too, spend less when you anxiously want to shop more.

Tip 1. Whenever you are on the verge of making an impulsive purchase, go to the nearest cafe first and buy a favorite drink! It might be enough to satisfy your passionate buying needs.

Imagine how much you could save if you choose coffee instead of another shiny object. Impressed? It's a great practice to switch your attention and take a break before making a rational decision on your next purchase.

Tip 2. Create a “wish list” before you decide to buy anything new. It’s barely possible to refrain from buying objects you loved at first sight. Good news — you don’t have to! Add all your wants to the wish list and reward yourself once you allocate the budget for it.

Tip 3. Don’t shop for fun! You are more likely to buy unneeded items when you wander around department stores. Even if it only costs $30, there are smarter ways to use this money.

Tip 4. Don’t overuse your credit card! You are more inclined to purchase if you know you have extra means for it.

Even though the US nationwide survey showed a cushion for emergencies is the most significant benefit of having credit cards, over 68% of respondents reported using them for random purchases. Well, sometimes priorities shift.

Tip 5. One-click shopping is an intelligent business solution and a disaster for your wallet! Since Amazon introduced one-click technology in 1999, it has generated over 1B in revenue for them!

One-click fosters impulsive purchases by eliminating the check-out process. Be mindful! You can literally spend everything in just one click.

The feeling of happiness from buying new things is usually high, but it never lasts long. When the euphoria is gone, you realize all new things are just clutter. The next paycheck will come and go as quickly unless you make a difference and take your expenses under control.

You will never have enough money to grow your future self because your current self tempts you to spend more as soon as you earn more.

Implementing these humble tricks can help you break free from the overspending trap and allocate money on what's really important for you. 

As Ankala Subbarao put it well:

“A dollar saved is more than a dollar earned because you don’t have to pay income tax.”

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About the Creator

Victoria Kurichenko

Self-made marketer & content writer. Writing daily. Creating SEO-friendly content for 3 years.

My site: https://selfmademillennials.com/

Let's get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-kurichenko/

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