Ask Yourself Do You Really Need It

Ask Yourself do You Really Need it.

Ask Yourself Do You Really Need It. Have you ever gone for groceries with a list? You all set to stick to the grocery list but by the time you are at the checkout counter you realise that you have bought a few extra things. Maybe because they were on sale or maybe you felt you’d miss out if you did not buy them? This happened to you, this happens with everyone. They call the phenomenon “impulse purchase” and this is how our brain tricks us into buying goods we probably do not need.

For those lucky ones who possess deep pockets, impulse buying may not be a problem. But for the average buyer who normally sticks to a budget, the issue becomes a serious finance challenge.

So how can one control this impulse purchase habit? Well, it is a desire and surely needs control, so let us look at a few steps we can follow to control this habit.

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1. Stick to Your Budget and Grocery List.

This may sound lame, but really this is the first step toward controlling impulse purchase habit. You need to prepare a budget and a grocery list before you leave your house. Get into the habit of making a monthly estimate if you don’t already do so. A monthly budget will give you a good idea of how much you spend and save each month. Same goes for the grocery list. Before heading out for groceries, get into the habit of doing a stock count to check what items you need, make a list and stick to it.

People often misunderstand the purpose of sticking to a budget or a grocery list. Businesses cannot function without proper finance control, countries need budgets to function properly so just because a household is nothing compared to the size of a business or a country, it does not mean financial principles do not apply. Budgeting is a tool for financial management and monthly budgets, grocery lists are necessary tools to bring a sense of order. The purpose of a budget is to let you know how much you have and how much you can spend and save. Similarly, the purpose of a grocery list makes you aware of the items that you need to purchase. So when you follow your monthly budget and grocery lists, you will at the back of your mind be aware of the minimum that you need to buy, save and spend.

This takes us to our second step.

2. Set Aside Some Money for Your Impulse Purchases.

Yes, you read that right, the most efficient way to stop yourself from wasting money on impulse purchasing is to create a dedicated fund for your special buying journeys. Sounds counter-productive, right? Well, not necessarily.  See, making a budget or a grocery list does not mean that you cannot indulge in a little extravagance, you can do that as long as your budget allows it, after all, who are you earning all that money for?

Do you understand the need for making a budget and grocery list now? It is to give you an idea of how much you can overspend and still stay within your budget. The biggest danger with impulse purchasing remains when you overspend. You can mitigate this danger through budgeting. Make your impulse purchase fund and know exactly how much you overspend.

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3. Give Yourself time before Making any Impulse Purchase.

They tested this technique repeatedly. If you really feel you need to buy something even though it is not in your list or because it is on an incredible sale, give yourself 24 hours to think about it. Tell yourself that you need to think about it first. Go home and think whether you really need it, is it worth the money? If after 24 hours you feel the same way for that item, you can purchase it. Most of the time people realise that they did not really need the item that they would buy.

If you feel worried that you may not receive a chance to get such a good bargain again on a sale, then trust us, there will be a better opportunity next time. Stores continuously need to put their items on sale, so there will always be a sale every few weeks or months.

Conclusion

Just follow these steps if you have an impulse purchase habit hard to control. It may take some time, but eventually, you will control your habit. It only requires a little self-control and discipline, that’s all. In your attempt to control it you may discover more techniques to beat impulse purchase and buy only that which you need, please share your experience with us in the comments section below.

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