9 WAYS TO STOP IMPULSIVE BUYING
INTRODUCTION
Why do we really act this way? Why do we follow these patterns? What is the motives behind it? why do we lost consciousness when spending frivolously? Why do we act irrationally when spending frivolously? What is the reason behind frivolous spending without thinking? For sure, there are always reasons for every action but for every action there’s always an equal and opposite reaction.
Your irrational thinking determines your spending behavior and you buy things that has no place in your life.
What goes on in your mind? How do you control and refocus your mind from being aimlessly searching for what to buy, to focusing on spending wisely to yield better result? Spending wisely to plan and project for the future?
7 REASONS FOR FRIVOLOUS SPENDING
1. FRIVOLOUS SPENDING
People gain a lot of pleasure from acquiring new products and they feel contented. The act of buying is an act of empowerment that may be felt all too rarely in other aspects of life.
People’s shopping habits are inherited by their parents and handed down to them to make them feel good about frivolous spending. Digging a little deeper will make you understand why you act that way. why your emotions can’t be controlled and what can be when you realize you exhibit this habit. In this unstable world now, people still spend frivolously just to justify the fact that they work and need to spend, others to show their class and a few purposeless reasons.
2. EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT
After searching through different product and you see the one you like, you feel if you don’t buy the product, you will never have the chance to have it. The believe that nothing last forever and you must enjoy yourself while it all last. That feeling of missing out now and in the future, describes our innate concern to avoid feeling bad in the future. you can’t control the emotion because you are emotionally attached to the product.
3. BELIEFS
people from certain region spend frivolously because it’s a habit and the way they do things. They are addict to certain things which are either good or bad. Some region believes they must spend frivolously and not keep money for no reasons.
4. SHOW-OFF
you spend frivolously trying to show off to your neighbor or competitor that they are inferior and you are not on the same pedestal. You acquire more expensive things at home that you don’t need just to show off that you are better.
5. UNIQUE COLOURS
What glitters can lead to frivolous spending, once the product has unique colour that captures your attention and has stick to your mind. You feel the product belongs to your life and its already part of you and you must acquire it. Your mind becomes unsettled even its to be in debt to acquire it and feel comfortable.
6. DISCOUNTED PRICES
discounted prices most times lead to frivolous spending. When discounted with less than 5-10%, you will surely buy because the price is reasonable to you. With discounting, you are being told by sales and marketing ads that you can save more. We can buy more at a discounted price and store up ahead but no rational thinking on how much to spend on the discounted, you buy more than you plan and it affects you financially.
7. RICH
when you make more money, you tend to spend more to meet up to your new standard of living. Making more money leads to frivolous spending and a lot of people get involves most of the times.
9 WAYS TO STOP IMPULSIVE BUYING.
1. A NEW RULE
Make a new rule, you need to control all what you buy. When you have the desire to buy something, delay gratification and document it on a list. After a month has passed, you can buy the item. Many times, the urge to meet the needs can die off. This works if you follow your new rule.
2. REDUCE VISITING THE MALL OR DON’T GO AT ALL
You only get the desire for frivolous spending, if visit the malls more often. Control yourself by reducing drastically the number of times you visit malls or by not visiting the mall if you can’t control your emotions to stop frivolous spending. Don’t just walk around the mall window shopping for fun or else you get tempted to spend.
3. REDUCE ONLINE SITE VISIT
Reducing your visit to online sites also helps a lot because they make it look too easy to buy with discounted prices with promo items and before you know you get carried away and spend more or even become an addict. If you know you can’t control it, it’s better you stop visiting it before you start running into debt.
4. KEEP A LIST
Before you leave the house, write down the list of the things you need to spend money on. Plan by budgeting or even save for what you want to buy to help control spending. Shop around for stores with the best prices and plan for more purchases. When you visit the store with the list and obtain your purchase and leave before you get tempted for unplanned necessities to the list.
5. CONTROL YOUR DESIRE
Control your desire, if it’s tough managing your emotions. When you are angry control your emotions, don’t get pushed to frivolous spending. This helps you to become more conscious of your desire, which is what you are not mentally aware of. When you are not emotionally comfortable, you make irrational decision and it emotionally destabilize you. when we have the urge, anger, anxiety and nervousness sets in but by been aware of your reaction to your finance, we can subject the desire under control.
6. THINK BEFORE YOU BUY
Before making any frivolous spending, ask yourself lots of reasonable questions. Is the purchase going to add value to your life? Does it help you meet one of your life goals or financial goal? Ask yourself more reasonable questions. These are useful questions to help you evaluate the value of your spending, and why are you really doing it. Be open and through to yourself.
When you do get the urge, calm it down and meditate on it if’s worth investing your hard-earned money on. Deep breath, stroll around, and meditate on it help control the desire and with time, the desire fades away.
7. TAKE TIME TO CALCULATE MONEY SPENT FRIVOLOUSLY
Spend time to calculate the amount you spend a year on frivolous spending or the debt accumulated, you will surely see the impact on your finance and how you have spent more of your hard-earned money frivolously without a purpose. Also consider the time wasted too, if it’s worth the time and the effort and the resources spent on it.
8. CONTROL YOUR CARD USAGE
If using your card is a problem, you either control or freeze it, if you can’t control yourself. Now, if you want to make a purchase, you can use cash to make it safe, easier and better for you.
9. DISCIPLINE YOURSELF
It’s a small step process. It’s not easy but with steps you get there. If you know what you want in your life you will know you need a level of discipline. With your financial goals at hand, you will think of your short and long-term plans, if you keep your savings and investing goals in mind, you will surely think before making that purchase and how the purchase will affect your financial goals.
CONCLUSION
Understanding what motivates you to spend frivolously is important, if you really want to stop the habit. Now is the time to work on this habit that wants to destroy your hard-earned money and deprive you of your future financially. You will surely think twice or thrice before spending frivolous on anything. You also think of its impact for NOW and THEN. I hope this is reasonable enough to help you deal and curb your habits.

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