Are you one of those people who simply love to shop and can’t save any money because of their shopping habits? If your answer is ‘yes’, welcome to the club – you aren’t the only one here! A lot of people want to change their bad shopping habits once for good, so keep on reading if you want to learn how to make it happen, too. Here are five useful tips on how to do it with success, so check them out and enjoy!
First of all, make sure to set long-term goals
If you want to ditch bad shopping habits and stop spending too much money on unnecessary stuff, the first thing you should do is to set long-term goals. And what does it mean? Well, it means that you should pick one or two big goals and start saving money to accomplish them. It could be a vacation on an exotic destination, establishing an emergency fund, or just simply getting out of debt. No matter how tempted you are, make sure to stay persistent and stop blowing your money on non-essential things. Instead, take that money and put it towards your goal. You’ll see an incredible improvement shortly!
Distinguish between what you need and what you want
Truth be told, many people can’t distinguish between their needs and wants. We reckon that everyone has found themselves in this situation at least once in their life. So, you’re wandering around the shopping mall and you find the most perfect pair of shoes you’ve ever seen? Of course that you want to buy them immediately! But the real question is – do you really need them? Probably not. So, to prevent yourself from overspending, ask yourself this question every time you’re contemplating a purchase. If you need those shoes and they fit within your budget, just go ahead and buy them. If not, better save your money and use it to accomplish your long-term goal instead!
Find a shopping buddy
Finding a shopping buddy is another useful trick you can rely on when you want to change your bad habits. Obviously, you want to find someone who can talk you down – not a person who inspires you to shop and spend even more money. This is particularly important if you have a hard time saying no to your shopping impulses. However, finding a shopping buddy can help you save money in other ways, too. For example, if you’re shopping online on websites such as Shoppster, you can always join your forces and place an order together. Some websites offer reduced shipping costs on larger orders, so bear that in mind and take advantage of this benefit. It’s a great way to buy exactly what you need and save money at the same time!
Start tracking your spending habits
When you aren’t keeping track of how much you’re spending, it’s very easy to spend all of your money in the blink of an eye. Well, this is why you must break this bad habit as soon as possible. So, take a pen and a piece of paper and start writing down how much money you spend on what every month. If this approach is too old-school for you, download a money-saving app instead and start tracking your spending habits. It’s the only way to succeed!
Stop making impulse purchases
We all know that impulse purchases are bad for our bank accounts. There is nothing good about them – you’ll spend money on products you don’t even need, which is the last thing you want when you strive to save money. Millions of people tend to impulse-buy stuff such as clothing items, shoes, accessories, foods, and sweets. However, during the pandemic that hit last year, people impulse-bought toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and cleaning supplies. If you tend to impulse-buy such products, make sure to think before you grab the last roll of toilet paper. Do you really need it, or maybe not? Don’t forget that and you’ll do a great job!
As you can tell, there are so many amazing tips on how to change your bad shopping habits once for good. These five unquestionably are one of them, so stick to them and you’ll make it happen. Just follow our guidelines and you’ll become a more mindful shopper, without a doubt!
By Peter Minkoff
Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.