Not Really Needed

You need to stop when you're considering a purchase and think to yourself the following questions:
Do I really need it?
Will I use it?
Can I afford it?
Does it go with what I already have?

If you answered no to any of those questions, you probably shouldn't buy it. Walk away from it for a while and come back to it later if you're still considering it. If it's something you still really like and think you really do want it, then go for it. You've taken the time out to at least consider the purchase rather than impulsively buying something that will just sit there in your wardrobe.

There are however exceptions to this rule in my opinion. For example I picked up some shoes that were approximately $1 a pair because the manufacturer had labelled the sizes wrongly in the shoes! I don't like the style of the shoes generally and wouldn't normally have considered them had they been full price. However, at $1 a pair, even though I had no idea if I'd ever use them or not and they didn't go with anything I had, nor did I really need to buy shoes, I did buy them. As it turns out they've come in handy just to sling in the back of the car if I ever need a change of shoes in an emergency. I have another pair by the back door to use outside as well. And for $1 I really don't mind that they get ruined fairly fast. It was too much of a bargain to turn down.

One way you might be able to stop yourself from buying things you don't really need could be to set whatever money you would've spent on the clothes aside in a separate savings account or even a money jar at home. Then every so often you can break open the piggy bank and go on a shopping spree and get yourself something you really do need instead!

 

There are a few strategies you can use to curb impulse buying. But before you settle on any, I think it’s important to pinpoint the reasons why you’re buying things you don’t need. For me, it is/was a bit of a comfort thing; I’d feel a certain way, and I’d pick up a small item or two so I could get my mind off things.

Once you’ve figured your reasons out, I agree with questioning each potential purchase, and walking away from the item. If you don’t think about it at all within a few days, it’s safe to say you don’t need it. Keeping a budget can also help with this. And another quick trick is to imagine a stranger holding the item you’re considering in one hand, and the cash in another - then ask yourself, which one would you take? Or consider how much you make per hour, then ask yourself, do you really want to work for X amount of time to make up the cost of an impulse purchase?

 

I have this problem too. I have another problem it is called I cannot save for something I want that might be expensive. I like to buy what I want with a deal. The deal I get is not always a deal.

 

You have to train yourself to only purchase what you need and only what you will use. It does take a bit of resisting the new shiny items the stores are putting in front of you. A good thing to say to yourself is I need my money more than this store does, it works for me.

 

I have a problem just like yours. Everytime I go out, I feel I need to spend at least something to feel I really went out. So, a hint I read online was: everytime you're going out and you feel you need to spend a certain amount of money, transfer to your savings account the amount of money you would spend in this article of clothing, shoes or food. It really works. After a while I started to think about all the useless things I would have bought.

These clothes you already purchased, you can sell them away in a thrift shop or to a friend. When the damage is already done, all you can do is fix it.

 

I'm quite like you, I love to shop and will grab many things I probably don't need. But I've learnt to ask myself can I afford it, do I need it, will I get some use out of it and do I have other items I can wear it with or will I have to buy something to go with it? Sometimes I do what I call a "brainstorm" when I first go into a store. At the end, I don't actually buy all those things, I go through them again and often doing this encourages me to cull most things because they'r really just an extravagance I can do without. It's not easy, but I'm winning

 

I have that problem too. But what I do to curb it is simply self control and not bringing extra money at my disposal when I'm going to the store. So if you only have enough money, then you can't buy what you don't need.

 

I used to be an impulsive buyer as well. However, since I lost my job, I need to budget my money really really well. So, I cut my unnecessary purchases. It wasn't easy, but I learned to turn away from sales or clearances. Eventually, I got used to it.

 

When I go shopping, I stop and think if I really need an item or two. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed with all the sales and discounts we see, that we tend to buy things we really do not need. Only buy those things that you do not have yet.

I also stick to the classics instead of the trend. This way I can keep wearing clothes even if they are way old. With trendy clothes, you have to keep buying them to be 'in' so you will spend a lot just to have them.

Bring just enough money when shopping so that you will not spend a lot. Leave credit cards at home unless really needed.

 

It's all too easy to end up buying clothes that you don't really need, especially if they are at a knockdown price. You need to remind yourself that it's really not a bargain if it's never going to get worn.

Why not have a good look through your wardrobe and remind yourself of the stuff you already have. It's easy to forget at times.

 

That's a fantastic idea, Sidney At the height of my 'addiction', this is what I used to do. I'd take just enough cash when I went out to the shops, leaving my cards behind to avoid over spending. But sometimes what happened is if I saw something I really liked, it would play on my mind until I caved in and went back for it a few days down the line hehe.

 

@Lushlala, I think to "save" on money, if the item is expensive, then just buy it when Dec. comes, since most companies give a holiday bonus.

 

I have this problem too and I have lots of items around me that I bought and never use. The way I have found that I could augment this a bit is to wait a while before buying the items I like. I find that after a week or two I could discern a lot better if I really need or want the item or if I was just feeling impulsive and wanted to buy something just for the sake of it. Usually I arrive at the most rational answer and I've now been doing it for a little over a year now and my unnecessary spending has been cut down significantly.

 

Perhaps you could make lists when you go out shopping, like you'd make one when you go grocery shopping? Once everything that is on the list - the necessities essentially - have been purchased, then you should head out of the shop. Window shopping can be some of the most dangerous shopping, because it can lead to a lot of money being casually spent. When I shop it is always structured. Either I have a budget for what I can spend, or I have a list of items that I am looking for. That way things that I don't need do not get purchased.

 

Agreed, lists are another good strategy. I can say having a small list of gaps in my wardrobe that should be filled has kept me from buying so many wardrobe orphans that would end up going unworn. It also helped curb my comfort-induced makeup buying habit.

 

Sidney, you're right. But this is Botswana we're talking about LOL You don't get big discounts during special holidays. It was fantastic in the UK because we used to wait for the big January sales, the Christmas sales and all the other ones to mark special days on the calendar. Here the promotions don't always entice me enough to go crazy because they're not that spectacular. They're just out to fleece you!

 

@Lushlala, I didn't know that Botswana doesn't have awesome sales. Over here, when top malls are having a sale, people really flock to it and there's major traffic on those days. Especially on those 3-day sales.