How (and why) to avoid impulsive shopping?

Your favorite youtuber brags about his new gaming laptop. You check out the model. You buy one just like it, immediately feeling like a pro. A famous influencer recommends a serum that makes her look younger than she was in kindergarten. Link in the description. You buy one right away. You walk past a chain store where the display screams about a sale in big, bright letters. You go in because you're sure to find unique bargains – it would be a sin not to take advantage of them! Every time a new, shiny product enters our orbit, an instantaneous impulse to buy, buy, buy and not think twice arises. How – and why – should we fight it?

Think about the cause

The first step to get rid of the habit of impulsive buying is to diagnose the cause of this behavior. It is a rather complicated subject as our final purchasing decision is often influenced by several different factors – try to analyze which one of them provides the strongest pull towards a purchase. Ever present modern consumerism has remade shopping into a form of coping with emotions, especially the negative ones. It is medicine and therapy in one; an ideal way to cope with despondency, sadness, stress, exhaustion – shopping seems to be a real panacea. Every time you buy, a shot of dopamine, of instant gratification goes through your brain, immediately making you feel better and the world seem friendlier. Unfortunately, it's a temporary feeling that passes sooner or later, leaving guilt and shame in its wake.
Social influence – both in real life and on social media – contributes massively to the issue of impulsive buying. We constantly compare ourselves with others, often reflexively and unconsciously. It's very easy to succumb to the illusion that owning a product recommended by people we admire will help us become someone better, closer to that ideal, “best version of ourselves” we so desperately chase. Or, at the very least, it will make our lives easier and more enjoyable.
The belief that each sale is a special, once in a lifetime, unique opportunity also significantly contributes to the overconsumption epidemic. The product is almost out of stock – these are the last remaining pieces! This price is unimaginably attractive, it will never be this low again! And it’s only $79 short of free delivery! Yes, sometimes it pays off and you’re able to take advantage of the offer instead of the offer taking advantage of you – but remain critical of your motivations.
But what if you can perfectly comfortably afford to shop impulsively? Why fight this habit instead of indulging in it? Unfortunately, this way of life is, in the long run, detrimental to both humans and the planet. The euphoria and dopamine boost are temporary – eventually they will leave behind an ever-deepening void. Unnecessary items bought on impulse often end up in landfills. Over-consumption grows, and with it, so does mass production, further fueling consumption. And so the vicious cycle of destroying the planet continues.

Set a budget and stick to it

A well thought-out budget will help you fight against impulsive buying. You can use ready-made home budget templates available on the Internet, but it's best to develop your own – especially tailored to your individual needs and lifestyle. However, imposing spending limits on yourself isn't quite enough; the hardest part is yet to come, as you'll need to stick to your budgeting goals in order to succeed.

In addition to your daily necessary expenses, it is also a good idea to set some reasonable amount for unplanned purchases, at least in the beginning. Rome was not built in a day – often such a radical break from a habit cultivated for years can end in a disaster: one emotional purchase will attract an avalanche of subsequent ones, as our already broken resolve is not worth further effort. That's why it's better to wean ourselves off in small steps, such as setting lesser and lesser amounts for impulsive purchases each month.

Avoid shopping temptations

It's much easier to get rid of the habit of impulsive buying when you start avoiding shopping temptations. On a daily basis, we all get plenty of incentives to buy more and more. And while it's impossible to completely cut yourself off from this (we'd probably have to not leave the house and use the Internet or TV), you can at least reduce your exposure to advertising and other elements that trigger this internal compulsion to make a purchase.

You can start to plan your time better so that shopping is not your only means of boredom. If you have a favorite store that you always leave with a heavier bag and a lighter wallet, regardless of whether you really need something from there, it's worth not going to it for a while, even if it would involve changing your route to work or your daily walk route. And if your main trigger for impulsive purchases is social media, uninstall the apps or at least shun the most “advertising” influencers.

Postpone for later

While important things should not be put off, but ill-considered purchases – yes. Whenever you get the irresistible urge to buy something on impulse, stop for a moment and give yourself at least a day or two to think. You can save a link to the product in your bookmarks if you're buying online, or take a picture of the item in a stationary store and put off your final purchase decision until tomorrow. Or even next week. If the product still seems attractive and necessary to you – buy. But you will probably just forget about it in most cases.

Make a shopping list

Enter the store without knowing exactly what you need – the worst. Not only do you waste time thinking, but there is also an increased risk that you will buy a lot of unnecessary things. A well-thought-out shopping list helps not only on your daily trip to the grocery or drugstore, but also when planning larger purchases that you make, for example, once a month, a quarter, or even for several years. Besides, the list makes it significantly easier to stick to a set budget.
Getting rid of the habit of impulsive purchases is a process that will take some more time, others less – it's not worth comparing yourself to anyone or reproaching yourself. For that, it's worth making even a small effort to become a more conscious consumer.