You can save money by controlling impulse spending.

Impulsive spending can be a problem for everyone. It is not easy to tune out the constant marketing noise that we are bombarded with all day long. Package delivery can be the most exciting part of the day, especially during these lockdowns. You’re not the only one struggling to keep up with your shopping during these chaotic times.

Here are ten tips I personally use to curb this urge and help you reach your financial goals.

1. Shop online as little as possible

It may be difficult to do this with the ongoing global lockdowns. But if you can, tell yourself that you must buy anything you see on-line in person. You will quickly see that the extra effort doesn’t justify the purchase and you’ll avoid impulse purchases. You may be hesitant to leave the house if you are like me and my boyfriend.

2. Find a accountability buddy

It’s a good idea to have a second pair of eyes when you shop, whether you do it in person or online. This will help you stay accountable. If you shop alone, you are more likely to overspend because you believe “nobody will know”. Instead, team up with an understanding friend who is financially savvy and understands your goals. You can send them pictures of the items you are considering purchasing, and they will do the same. You can both help each other avoid buyer’s regret by working together.

3. The “wait for a week rule”

This is the rule I use to help me with impulse purchases. The fun part of browsing websites is adding items to your shopping cart. You may find that if you wait for a week to think about it, you will never return to the cart. It’s not like you did anything wrong. You just got the entertainment you wanted at that time. You can then decide to buy the items you wanted after a week. It’s not an impulse purchase, and you will know that you are buying them for the right reason.

4. Cancel your email subscription

Do you get bombarded with emails from your favorite brands? You may enjoy the occasional discount, but there’s a good reason why they email them to you. This encourages you to buy, which makes them money. Is it a good deal if you shop more than you normally would? Unsubscribe if the daily reminders are becoming too much. If it feels like too much work, you can use an service that will take care of the unsubscribes.

5. Do not save your credit card information

Many shopping sites have “remember me”, which saves credit card information and removes the need for you to reach for your wallet. The checkout process takes just two clicks. If you are struggling to resist the temptation, it might be better to remove your details from non-necessities. The extra minute you spend entering your credit card information could mean the difference between checking out instantly and waiting a week.

6. Setup Banking Notifications

It’s difficult to imagine real money disappearing from your wallet when you shop online with credit cards. *poof* can disappear in an instant, without you even realizing. Many debt-payoff techniques avoid credit cards altogether and instead use hard cash in order to better understand your spending. While I don’t believe that is realistic, you could turn on your bank notifications.

You can set it up so that you are notified every time you buy something and the amount. You can set limits for different categories and receive a notification as soon as you reach the limit. This is a simple way to track your daily spending. You can also easily detect fraud on credit cards.

7. Create a “fun budget”

Why do we impulse shop? It’s just fun and it makes us happy! Retail therapy is called that for a good reason. I know how you feel because I’ve been there myself. Try creating a “fun budget” for these moments instead of completely stopping impulse purchases. You can satisfy your urge to shop without spending too much. Your financially-conscious lifestyle must not feel restrictive, and you should be happy.

8. Unfollow the button by clicking it

Canadians spend almost half of their day is spent on screens, and two hours or more on social media. During this time, we’re bombarded with ads from businesses that are trying to sell their products. Influencers on Instagram and YouTube as well as Tiktok are the main culprits for me. I am notorious for always following the latest Tiktok makeup or skincare trend. Influencers are a big reason why they get so much press, because their marketing works.

You can take several steps to avoid falling victim. Avoid watching videos with titles like “haul,” “skincare regimen,” or “makeup reviews” and unfollow any influencers who make you feel obligated to keep up. You can also fast-forward through YouTube ads. I get that creators should be paid for their work. But if that’s affecting your financial well-being, you need to stop.

9. Use the ‘incognito mode’

Incognito mode or private browsing is available in all browsers. In private mode, you can’t save your browsing history. Incognito mode will not save your browsing history, nor your account details, when you shop in private mode. You won’t get targeted ads but you will not receive those annoying notifications that you still have something in your shopping cart. Out of sight, you’re out of mind.

10. Practice mindfulness

It may sound cliche but mindfulness is a powerful tool for overcoming bad habits, like impulse shopping. Take a step back the next time you are tempted to buy impulsively. Check in with yourself. What other emotions are present? Impulsive shopping could be masking another issue. You can bring yourself back to reality by doing breathing exercises or meditations.

Write yourself a note containing positive affirmations or words of encouragement that you can read when the urge to go shopping strikes. Remind yourself how you felt last time. Remember your goals.

BE EASY UPON YOURSELF

Ontario, where I am from, just announced a new lockdown of a month. This has been our experience for the past year. Some joy is found in a simple walk in nature, while other times it’s in a purchase of new skincare products. Both are self-care and you may need to do a little more on a particular day. Do not be too hard on your self to be perfect every time. These tips are there to help you when and where needed.