Impulse buying is one of those things that every single one of us is prone to from time to time. Very often, a simple stroll in a mall or visit to your favorite online store can lead to unintended spending. The problem with this is when it wastes money, takes you off your financial goals and leaves you with a closet of things you actually don’t really like.
So how can you overcome this habit so that impulsive buying becomes less frequent? Here are a few simple things you can do to become a wise shopper.
Track Your Clothes
One of the things that makes us so impulsive when it comes to buying clothes is thinking we don’t have much to wear, when it’s more that we’ve lost track of our clothes.
We’ve all experienced that moment where we feel like we have nothing to wear to an event, and then we immediately buy something new, only to discover while looking through our closets that we actually already had something suitable.
The problem with clothing that if it’s not top of mind, we actually start to forget that it’s even there, so it’s actually a really valuable exercise to regularly look through your closet and take a mental inventory of what’s in it.
You might discover that your closet is not packed in a way that allows you to actually see everything, and that’s how you overlook all the amazing things you have. This is especially helpful between fashion seasons. It’s often so hard to know what great spring items you have when you’ve been so focused on your winter wear.
You can actually employ apps that help you not only keep track of all the stuff you have, but also come up with outfit ideas. Getting into the habit of knowing exactly what clothes you have is one of the easiest ways to start curbing your impulsive buying habit.
It’s also a great way to keep track of your style as it changes and to find things you aren’t wearing anymore that you can donate to someone who would appreciate it.
Get to the Bottom of the Impulse
Impulse buying doesn’t happen in a vacuum, there are often deeper causes and usually signs of an emotional state that makes us want to buy. Scientifically speaking, when we buy something new, we experience a burst of feel-good emotions, which start to fade after a purchase. This feeling can become quite addictive, and then we find ourselves on the hamster wheel of constantly buying to recapture that emotional high.
The deeper thing is that we could be experiencing feelings like boredom, inadequacy and even sadness and then we use the buying of new things to soothe ourselves.
Emotional buying and impulse buying actually go hand-in-hand in this regard, and in order to fully cut out the bad shopping habit, we have to work on the emotional part of the equation. That way, when you do buy something it’s because you really like it, and not because you’re trying to make yourself feel better.
Make Better Shopping Decisions
One of the biggest reasons people find themselves buying things impulsively is shopping in all the wrong places, and not investing in the things we really like. Very often, the impulse comes from seeing something cheap and just wanting to buy it.
When it comes to buying stuff, one of the most helpful things you can do is to take time to really decide if you want something, or if it’s just an impulse temptation. One of the best rules to stick to when it comes to shopping is “just because you can buy something doesn’t mean you should.”
You don’t always have to spend money, it’s okay to leave a store without buying something. Here’s a simple thing you can do: next time you go into a shop – either online or in-store – and you see something that you feel like buying, don’t buy it immediately, impose a waiting period.
Sleep on it, think it over and figure out if the feeling of needing that item was just a short-term emotional reaction or a well thought-out action. You will be surprised sometimes when you find out that the thing that felt so urgent two hours ago no longer feels so necessary. Create room for decision making in your shopping process so you’re not blindly reacting on emotion and impulse alone.
Try a Subscription Box
Curated fashion is one of the most popular trends right now, and one of the reasons is that it can solve the need to impulse-buy. Every month, you can expect a box of great items at your door, and it takes away the urgent need for you to always buy something new.
What’s awesome about these services is that they often give you more than one item, and because the pieces are picked out for you in your style, it elevates the shopping process and makes it feel more like a virtual styling experience.
It will help you nurture a mindset of investing in clothes instead of just buying without a real sense of direction and intention.
Subscription boxes also come in so many styles, tastes and market categories. Here are few to consider.
kidpik
If you’re looking for a simple but stylish way to get nice outfits for your children, consider a kids clothing box like kidpik. This popular service delivers personalized outfits every month, in a box that contains 7 items that make up a minimum of 3 outfits for your child. All you have to do is get your kid to do a quick style quiz so that they know what to send.
Fabletics
This is a fashion subscription box that delivers the best of activewear and loungewear to your door every single month. From leggings and sports bras, to sweats and comfy t-shirts, you can expect affordable luxury and the chance to refresh your wardrobe.
Stitchfix
Stitchfix really gives you the feeling of shopping online with having a super-curated fashion experience. Complete with their own stylists, this service does really in-depth surveys and questionnaires so they can really understand your style. From that you can expect outfits that suit your style, but also allow you to experiment with new trends and brands.
