Comments on: Five Ways to Stop Impulse Spending http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2008/06/five-ways-to-stop-impulse-spending.html Save Money - A Personal Finance Blog By A Husband And Wife Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:16:45 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Carnival of Personal Finance #158 : Vampire Slaying Edition http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2008/06/five-ways-to-stop-impulse-spending.html/comment-page-1#comment-123970 Carnival of Personal Finance #158 : Vampire Slaying Edition Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:51:24 +0000 http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/?p=630#comment-123970 [...] Dana from Not Made Of Money has come up with five ways to stop impulse spending. [...] [...] Dana from Not Made Of Money has come up with five ways to stop impulse spending. [...]

]]> By: Debbie M http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2008/06/five-ways-to-stop-impulse-spending.html/comment-page-1#comment-123397 Debbie M Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:00:29 +0000 http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/?p=630#comment-123397 I like making a big list of things I want. I thought this would be huge, but it turned out to be just two pages (if I put it in two columns and put it in a small but not tiny font). So, I print it on the front and back of one piece of paper that I can take with me everywhere. If it's not on the list, I don't look for it. This method has worked shockingly well for me. While you're making your list, think of what you actually do and what you wish you could do and what kind of annoyances you might be able to fix. (I also include books that people recommend to me so I remember what to look for in the library.) Another thing that helps me quite a bit is to get very picky. For things you don't need, you can afford to do this. For example, I now have plenty of clothing to get me through the week and even (now that I finally have a little black dress) to get me through just about any activity. So I won't buy any more clothing unless it: * fits me perfectly * goes with things I already have * can be worn for activities I actually do * flatters me * has pockets (for things from the waist down) * is affordable * is well made * is comfortable * is better than something I already have that I would be using if I didn't have this new item Other good traits to look for (or insist on) when buying things include: good design, durability, extremely useful, high resale value, you just love it, and easy to clean, maintain and repair. Things I often say in stores include "I'm not cleaning that" and "please tell me why I need this." (The latter is for pretty things I can't think of any use for, hoping someone can think of a use for it! They almost never can, so sad, so I don't get to buy it.) Another idea I like is saving your receipts and periodically looking at what you've bought and seeing what you turned out to like and use. (Sadly, you can't always tell this in advance.) After a while, you get an idea of what kinds of things lure you into buying things you don't need. For example, I really like whooshy skirts and dresses, but I don't enjoy wearing the ones without any pockets. So, I just don't buy those anymore, no matter how awesome they otherwise are. I like making a big list of things I want. I thought this would be huge, but it turned out to be just two pages (if I put it in two columns and put it in a small but not tiny font). So, I print it on the front and back of one piece of paper that I can take with me everywhere. If it’s not on the list, I don’t look for it. This method has worked shockingly well for me.

While you’re making your list, think of what you actually do and what you wish you could do and what kind of annoyances you might be able to fix. (I also include books that people recommend to me so I remember what to look for in the library.)

Another thing that helps me quite a bit is to get very picky. For things you don’t need, you can afford to do this. For example, I now have plenty of clothing to get me through the week and even (now that I finally have a little black dress) to get me through just about any activity. So I won’t buy any more clothing unless it:
* fits me perfectly
* goes with things I already have
* can be worn for activities I actually do
* flatters me
* has pockets (for things from the waist down)
* is affordable
* is well made
* is comfortable
* is better than something I already have that I would be using if I didn’t have this new item
Other good traits to look for (or insist on) when buying things include: good design, durability, extremely useful, high resale value, you just love it, and easy to clean, maintain and repair.

Things I often say in stores include “I’m not cleaning that” and “please tell me why I need this.” (The latter is for pretty things I can’t think of any use for, hoping someone can think of a use for it! They almost never can, so sad, so I don’t get to buy it.)

Another idea I like is saving your receipts and periodically looking at what you’ve bought and seeing what you turned out to like and use. (Sadly, you can’t always tell this in advance.) After a while, you get an idea of what kinds of things lure you into buying things you don’t need. For example, I really like whooshy skirts and dresses, but I don’t enjoy wearing the ones without any pockets. So, I just don’t buy those anymore, no matter how awesome they otherwise are.

]]> By: Matt http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/2008/06/five-ways-to-stop-impulse-spending.html/comment-page-1#comment-123213 Matt Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:20:29 +0000 http://notmadeofmoney.com/blog/?p=630#comment-123213 In the past I've actually done two things that have helped me curb impulse buying. Actually the first wasn't to curb it but to plan and allocate money for it and to some extent I still do this. The second thing I've done is really taken a hard look at my spending and I realized that most of my non grocery spending was not something I needed but wanted. Being able to ask myself if the purchase is something I need or just want can help dissuade me from buying it. In the past I’ve actually done two things that have helped me curb impulse buying. Actually the first wasn’t to curb it but to plan and allocate money for it and to some extent I still do this.

The second thing I’ve done is really taken a hard look at my spending and I realized that most of my non grocery spending was not something I needed but wanted. Being able to ask myself if the purchase is something I need or just want can help dissuade me from buying it.

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