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You go to the store for some toothpaste and end up with a yellow belt that you’ll never ever wear. I’ve been there (see above) – oh the regret! Here are three simple ways to avoid those items calling out your name:
1. Decide on the why first.
Buying a four-hundred dollar running watch doesn’t make you get up at 6:00 am every morning and hop on a treadmill. That’s because owning an item doesn’t mean actually using it.
“The reason you’re not taking long baths is not because you don’t have the right bath oil, but because you have three kids and no time.” happiness expert Gretchen Rubin argues. “You buy the bath oil as an expression of your desire to change something in your life – but that purchase won’t do it.” It’s best to take action first, buy second.
2. Automate your life.
The more you can automate and rely on services to do the work for you, the easier it will be to avoid impulse purchases. There are a host of services like Peapod, Mint, Netflix, Pandora - and soon Alice too - that make your life easier by allowing you to plan your purchases and finances.
“More than anything else, the psychology of automation is critical to successfully getting control of your finances,” financial guru Ramit Sethi reports. And the less time you’ll spend at the store, and the more time you’ll have to spend on things that do matter.
3. Reclaim your space.
“You don’t need an army of spare, unloved knick-knacks or piles of old newspaper,” Sara of On Simplicity argues. “Clutter isn’t armor; letting go of it doesn’t weaken you in any way.”
Items that you might use someday tend to just sit around the house. An organized home allows you to have a clear mind so that the next time you’re faced with an item that seems like a “must-have,” you’ll know it most certainly is not.
And if all else fails, just freeze your credit cards. Literally.
What works for you? What habits keep you from buying things you don’t need? How do you avoid impulse purchases?
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Comments
06.03.09
I was more of an impulse buyer when I was younger. I have accumulated stuff over time that I don't really need and most of that stuff was accumulated a long time ago. I learned through experience to discriminate between the stuff I would use and stuff that was fluff. I think it's part of the process of getting to know yourself. I think it's also one of the big reasons many items are marketed to a younger audience.
A weakness and example for me is buying books. I saw a book (Outliers) this morning I wanted to buy. I decided to walk away and focus on purchasing the items I originally went into the store to buy. I walked out of the store without the book. I'm still thinking about that book but I'll buy it on my own terms when I know I really want it. I've still got a few books I've bought I haven't read so it's a real conundrum. Maybe I should try using the library. No easy chair or fridge there though.
06.03.09
Ha, thanks for sharing Mark. I have a big weakness for books, and clothes when I was younger too. I think you're right that to let it sit a bit and decide if you really, really want it over all the other things you want is a good strategy. And then just make sure it doesn't add to the clutter.
06.03.09
Buying unnecessary material things seems to be a particular problem for geeky people. After all, who wants to play the latest PC game with last year's graphics card, and who can resist the added features of every new gadget, even if you'll actually never need them?
I find that in addition to the great criteria you mentioned in your post, I have to ask myself, "how much of a difference will this item actually make?" If I've already got a Nintendo DS, will a DSi really enhance my portable gaming experience? Will I actually use any features of the iPhone, regardless of how cool they may be? Generally, if I'm honest with myself, I find that the answer is "no".
06.03.09
Nora, I am totally with you. I always want the hottest new gadget, newest computer with the most storage, the best software, etc. But you're right, it doesn't really make that much of a difference :)
06.06.09
I always walk into any store with a shopping list, and aside from the occasional sale items (one reason why I rarely shop for groceries online like a lot of my friends), I stick to the list.
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