Sometimes, the thing that makes us go over budget are certain triggers that take away our self control. You know, those things that send you into a spending frenzy or make you overpay for an item when it's just not worth it. There is one way to stop them and that is to do your best to avoid these triggers altogether!
Take a look at the list below to see if you relate to any of the spending triggers and learn how to stop impulse spending:
Stress
One main trigger is stress, being aggravated, feeling down, or on edge. Seeking out shopping as an outlet while you are on edge or upset is completely normal. BUT it’s not healthy and really leads to a lot of impulse buys. Try to find a new outlet for your emotions, something like yoga, walking, doing puzzles, a long hot bath, or even playing with your kids. It might take awhile to retrain yourself, but if you keep at it, you can nip that bad habit in the bud.
Boredom
Just like with stress, many of us use shopping to fill the void of boredom. We aimlessly browse the aisles or online to kill time and it ends up leading us into many purchases we might not otherwise make. If you are shopping simply out of boredom find another way to relieve the boredom - read a book, take a walk, have some friends over or clean out a closet and donate a bag full of items - what a great way to reverse the spending!
Addiction
Plain and simple, shopping can be an addiction. Those sparkly shoes fly into the cart, that butter soft purse goes right on top, and heck, toss in that new set of towels. Everything you like is getting tossed into that cart...and it feels great! Shopping can be a real high for some but unfortunately, like all highs, the euphoria is short lived. Especially once you realize the balance of your credit card or bank account. If this sounds like you, look for healthier alternatives, like sports and exercise, to get that same rush of excitement, or this trigger can ruin your life.
Celebration
Maybe it's not some "bad" emotion or stress that is causing you to spend impulsively, but something fabulous that happened. Maybe it was that raise you finally got at work, or you finished a semester at university with top marks. While rewarding yourself for big things can be important and a great motivator, it's important to keep your rewards in check. Instead of a big spending binge, try taking yourself to the movies or grab an ice cream cone. Small rewards can feel just as great as big ones.
Sales
Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it is necessarily a good buy. Do you really need it? Will it get used? Is it worth the sale price? The lure of a sale can make us buy things we wouldn't normally buy just because it looks like a deal. Look carefully at your motive behind the impulse to grab it. If the item is something you would normally buy, you can still take a little time to comparison shop and make sure you are getting the best deal.
Kids
Sometimes it is impossible to get to the store without kids but if you can, I suggest you do your shopping without them in tow. Grocery stores and every other kind of store is intentionally designed to turn them into materialistic begging little children. Candy...right at the checkout with other items like trading cards, as seen on TV items, and little toys that call out to our kids, and they listen! But even as you stroll the aisles it could be a special box of cereal, a treat, just one lunch pack, one convenience food, etc.. and we add way more to our cart than we would if we were alone following our carefully crafted list because we love those little children of ours!
Convenience
Too tired to cook? Just pull up the Domino's app and pizza dinner will be at your doorstep in minutes. Convenient yes but does it lead to needless overspending? I think so. As convenient as they may be, when you have Domino's, Amazon and other similar stores apps on your cell phone or tablet it makes it too easy to make impulse buys. Consider deleting all your shopping apps and maybe taking the extra step to get on the computer or phone will cut back your spending. In both instances there's a disconnect between us and our purchases and it makes it so much easier to part with our hard earned money.
A great way to pinpoint your spending trigger is to stop every time you want to make a purchase and try to figure out why. Do you really need it? Are you just bored? Are you only buying it because it's on sale? Keep track in a notebook, you might be surprised at what triggers you to spend.
What triggers your impulse spending? How do you try to deal with those triggers?
Last week, I wrote a post asking for your inspiring financial stories and I have one to share! This one is from Dorianne and she's sharing how her entire family worked together for common savings goals. Enjoy!
We live in a rural community in Alberta. When we moved out here from the big city I wondered what my kids could do for a job while growing up since there are no paper routes, McDonald's, etc -the kinds of places kids and teens typically work. So, we took on a family job of managing and being janitors of our community hall when our oldest was about 12 years old.
Not only were we involved in our community, the kids were able to earn money and learn to work hard, even, and especially, when we really didn't feel like going to clean on the weekends, etc.
We were paid a base monthly amount of $250, plus hourly for cleaning. The cleaning money went to the kids based on their hours of cleaning. The base monthly amount went in to a separate bank account as savings for 'family fun money' and goals we had in mind. It was NEVER to be touched for anything else, which was tempting at times as we work in oil and gas in this tough economy and could have used it for a few things! BUT we were determined to stick with our savings goal!
The first thing we saved for was a tent-trailer and we have had many fun camping trips with it. The second thing was tickets to Disney World. That was our best family trip ever! The third and last thing we decided to save for was a hot tub -something we all could enjoy for years to come.
As you can imagine, at only $250/month, these goals took years to save for. Now that our kids are grown and starting to leave home and having 'real' jobs, we finally reached our hot-tub goal in the fall and quit our Community Hall job. It really has been a life-long lesson for our kids!
How inspiring was that! Something to strive for, for sure 🙂 Thanks Dorianne!
Credit card debt is something that millions of Canadians struggle with. It’s like a vicious cycle that never stops, unless you can get rid of the credit cards. However, it’s no secret that emergencies happen and sometimes those credit cards can be a lifesaver. Check out these tips for avoiding credit card debt this year.
Use the Cash Envelope System
If you have never used the cash envelope system, it’s definitely worth trying! Basically, you create a budget and use the cash envelopes as a way to hold the money for your various budget categories. For example, in your budget, you might have allotted $50 for eating out for the month. That $50 would go in your eating out envelope and once it’s gone, it's gone.
Set Up That Emergency Fund
It’s absolutely nearly impossible to stay out of debt if you’re not able to pay things off when they arise. Start setting up your emergency fund now, so you can stay out of trouble later. It's recommended that you have at least three months of living expenses saved up, but you can do what you feel is best for your situation.
Cut Up the Credit Cards
Of course one of the most common sense ways to avoid credit card debt is to cut up the credit cards. Instead of relying on credit cards, you can build up a savings. Having your emergency fund in place will help you avoid using a credit card when emergencies arise.
Avoid Big Purchases
Many people use their credit card to purchase bigger items that they cannot normally afford. Friends, this is called living above your means. You probably don’t need a new television or a bigger bed if you cannot pay cash for it. Sometimes avoiding these big purchases can help you be thankful for what you already have. Instead of using a credit card, start saving cash for your next purchase.
Don’t Put Someone Else on Your Credit Card
For some reason there is an option that allows you to put someone else on your credit card. This will rack up your credit card amount fast. The only one who should have access to your credit card is you. If your credit card gets lost or stolen, this can mean big trouble for your finances. If you’re trying to avoid credit card debt, it’s probably best to not put someone else's name on your credit card.
Know the Details of Your Credit Card
There are some credit cards out there that come with a hefty price tag. They lure you in with their lovely interest rates and then pounce on you whenever the promotional interest rate is up. Always read the fine print to your credit card.
Do you have some credit card debt to work off this year? How are you going to accomplish that? What are your tips for staying credit card debt free?
Just how do we resist the desire to buy? We all like nice things. We all want nice things. But do we really need all those nice things? Let me just say that there is nothing wrong with wanting nice stuff, but sometimes we need to draw the line and say enough. I have gone through quite the learning curve in the last couple of years and I have found some things that always seem to help quench my thirst for more:
Smart Ways to Resist the Desire to Buy
What are your Financial Goals?
I think this is the most important thing to consider. If you're trying to get out of debt, a new $2000 couch will not be helping you. If you're saving up for a vacation, a new bathing suit (when you have 10 others already) will not help you. Will buying a particular item help you meet the financial goals you have put in place? Or will it hinder it?
Don't tempt yourself
I rarely think about buying something if I haven't seen it first. Stay out of the stores if you can and do away with catalogues! Unsubscribe from all those emails to your favourite stores. (Even the Simply Frugal emails, if you must! ;))
Reconsider your need
Do you really need it or is it a want? If it's a definite need then there is no way you should feel guilty about your purchase.
Wait on it
I've found many times I can do without something if I simply walk away. For some reason, the item might not seem as appealing days later.
How many hours will you or your spouse have to work to pay for it? Will you have to fix it, clean it, store it, insure it?
Declutter your Home
Having a thorough decluttering session is a surefire way in my books to stop needless spending. I find once I finish decluttering my home, I am so satisfied with what I had let go of and all the space I cleared up, I really don't want to clutter it back up!
Buy Quality the first time
If you carefully consider a purchase and buy something that will last, you won't feel that constant desire to upgrade. There's always a time and a place to buy temporary, but generally buying quality will save you money and time in the long run!
What are some techniques that you use to help you resist the desire to buy?
I am guilty of impulse spending and I'm all too familiar with the feeling of regret after I make said purchase. Are you all too familiar as well? These days, I'm much better at avoiding an impulse purchase thanks to my tried & true method. It's simple, really, and has kept hundreds of dollars in my pocket over the years.
Here’s my method:
Each time I feel the urge to buy something, I either write it down or save it in my online shopping cart.
Allow 48 - 72 hours to pass without buying the item.
During this waiting period:
I consider whether or not I actually need the item.
I think about what else I could do with that money.
I determine if I already own something that could essentially do the same thing.
I ask myself if I'd still buy it if it wasn't on sale. (Most of the time I impulse buy because an item is on sale.)
After 48 - 72 hours, I reevaluate how I feel about the item. Do I still really want it? Or has the desire faded?
There you have it! My tried & true way to curb impulse spending! It's not 100% foolproof, but it has cut my spending down significantly over the years. After the process, I'm often looking at my list and wondering “why on earth did I think I needed all that stuff!”
For those of you that are joining me this month for the No Spend Challenge this could be a good lesson for you to incorporate. Since it is a No Spend challenge, I'd encourage you to write every single item down that you may want throughout the month. At the end of the month, take a look at your list and reevaluate your need/want. So instead of a 48 - 72 hour waiting period, you could end up with a 20 day waiting period. My guess is that if you have to wait that long you probably won't want those items after all. 😉
I'd love to know how you curb impulse spending? Any tricks you care to share?
