How to Avoid Impulse Buying During the (Manic) Sales

Remember that time when you shopped heavily discounted products during the annual sales and still ended up with a hole in your pocket? You argued with yourself that they were all great deals, and it would be unwise to miss out on them. Somehow you still ended up amazed at the amount you spent at the end of the day. The hack to avoiding a similar situation is to put yourself on a strict budget. Set aside a designated amount before you hit the stores.

First things first, focus on the things that you actually do need. We know; it’s (almost) impossible not to get distracted by the crazy deals. Our trick to staying on track? Make a list of all the items that you need and compare them with your budget. It always helps to get an approximate, if not an accurate idea, of how much of your budget the essentials will eat into.

When we stumble across an incredible bargain, most of us quite instinctively hit ‘buy now.’ Take it from someone who’s been there and done that. Sales are designed to trigger impulse buying, and more often than not, you end up with things with limited utility. This is why it is vital to pause and reflect.

“OMG, this is such an incredible deal,” said the impulse buyer. The smart shopper, however, knows better. “Do I really need this?” “What is the cost per utility of this item?” While it is perfectly alright to make spontaneous decisions once in a while, when it comes to manic sales, it is best to sit back and reflect before you succumb to the discounts.

“How well does this item fit in my wardrobe?”

This is probably one of the most important questions to ask yourself when shopping. Try and mentally place the item in your wardrobe. How many outfits can you make out of it? Is it comfortable? How well does it fit into your lifestyle?

Finally, after putting all the items in your cart through the screening process, it’s time to make them yours. Happy Shopping.