Think Before You Act
If you can't think of any good reason to buy this other than "I want it!" then walk away. Will this purchase make you a better person? Will this have a vast impact on your life? Think about how long this purchase will affect you. Will you reap the benefits for 5 minutes? A day? A year? If there is no long-lasting effect is this an instance of "moment on the lips, lifetime on the hips" for your wallet? If you can justify your purchase in the moment then buyer's remorse is just around the corner.
Be Honest With Yourself
Do. You. Need. This? Honestly and truly do you need this? Don't try and lie to yourself. Even if you end up buying something be honest about the reasons why you feel you had to make that purchase. Understanding your past purchasing patterns can help you in the future. If you have a pattern of not being able to avoid getting a pair of shoes at the store's annual sale but you also can't spend any more money on shoes then you should know to avoid that sale.
Does It Fit In Your Closet?
Before you buy an item of clothing think about whether you own something similar to it. If you're buying something close to what you already own then walk away. If you don't own anything like it then think about where it would fit into your wardrobe. How many items could you pair it with? Will it still fit if you gain or lose a couple of pounds? How often would you really wear it? Break down the price by how often you think you'll wear it and see if it's truly worth the cost.
Keep A Guardian Angel In Your Wallet
Whether it's Terry Crews from Everybody Hates Chris or it's Adam Scott from Parks and Recreation let your favorite financial guru lead you. Even if you don't have a favorite fictional cheapskate then put something to remind you of your financial priorities. Having something physically in your wallet to remind you of your responsibilities can stop you from making reckless purchases.
Buy One Get Another at Half Price!
This may seem like a good idea but it's another way to get people to spend their hard-earned money on something they might have otherwise walked away from. If you walk up to the front and they let you know that you can get another item at a discount then take a pause. Is there something that's coming to your mind that you are excited about owning but couldn't justify the price before? Then rejoice and go grab that item! If nothing comes to mind and you look around for something, anything, to get a discount on then walk away. If you could get those shorts you kind of like for $10 but you aren't excited about them…. then let them go. That $10 could be spent towards something you want, or something you really need.
- Avoiding Bad Spending Habits that Affect Your Budget and Get You ... ›
- How to Control Spending and Break Your Bad Spending Habits ›
- 10 Bad Habits That Lead To Debt Disaster | Bankrate.com ›
- 35 ways to eat and shop on a budget - TODAY.com ›
- How to Shop Carefully With a Tight Budget: 13 Steps ›
- 10 Tips for Fashion Shopping on a Budget ›
getty images
getty images
getty images
getty images
Amazon
Amazon
