Impulse buying is evil.

You’re walking around the store having a good ol’ time when suddenly, you see something. An item that didn’t even cross your mind until you laid eyes on it. You stare at it for a few seconds, decide you need it, and then grab it with no hesitation.

Then you walk to the checkout all smiles, buy it, and leave the store satisfied with your purchase.

You’ve just impulse bought.

Impulse buying is when you suddenly buy something on a whim. At the moment, it’s tempting to buy items you feel you’ll need later on. But down the road, you may realize you made an unnecessary purchase.

You also could’ve made a huge dent in your wallet, and the money spent on that item could’ve gone to something more worthwhile.

We all buy things impulsively from time to time. It’s tough to just simply ignore something you feel you may need. But fortunately, there are many ways to prevent impulse buying and save money! And I’m going to share some of them in this post.

So without further ado, here are 7 simple ways to stop impulse buying and save money!

1.) Think about what you already have

Take a moment to think about what you already have at home. Ask yourself “Do I have something like this?” and decide if it’s really worth buying. This can help you focus on the products you have at home instead of buying something you probably don’t need.

So before you buy those expensive shoes, think about all the other pairs at home that haven’t been worn in ages. Wear those instead of adding another pair to the collection.

2.) Make a list and stick to it

Before you go shopping, make a list of all the items you’re shopping for. This can help you focus on the necessities, stay on track, and prevent you from buying unnecessary things.

So the next time you go shopping, write down a list and use it when you go!

3.) Don’t shop when you’re bored

Don’t shop while you’re bored. Shopping and boredom are a dangerous combination. If you shop when you‘re bored, you might purchase something interesting “just because” to help cure your boredom.

If you’re bored, do something you like other than shopping. Watch a show, go for a walk, read. The list goes on.

4.) Research before you buy

Yes, that item looks like it’s a good buy, but how can you be so sure about that upon first glance? Before you throw it in the cart and sprint to the checkout, take a moment to research it first.

Read up on some reviews and see what others are saying about it. The more research you do, the more you may come to find you don’t actually need it as much as you thought you did.

5.) Think about your last expensive regret

Remember those expensive jeans you impulsively bought that ended up being a forgotten memory in your closet? Or the watch you just had to have that hasn’t been worn in a month? If you have something that cost a pretty penny and you’re no longer using it, chances are, you regret buying it.

Think about the last time you bought something expensive, and then how much you regretted buying it later. Remembering your “expensive regrets” can help prevent you from buying more things you don’t need.

6.) Challenge yourself

Give yourself a no-spending challenge for a period of time. The goal is to refrain from spending money on things you really don’t need. Obviously, things you use on a regular basis wouldn’t count for this challenge. This is mainly just geared toward things you’d just buy on a whim.

At first, you can start with something easy like going 1 day without buying something unnecessary. Then, you can work your way up to 3 days in a row. Eventually, you can go up to a whole week. This can help improve your self-control and prevent buying unnecessary things.

7.) Remember your financial goals

Reflect over your financial goals. Maybe your short-term goal is to have X-amount in your savings by the end of the month. Maybe your long-term goal is to buy a new car at the end of the year.

Whatever your financial goals are, it’s important to remind yourself of them every now and then. This is important, especially when you go shopping. This can help you focus on the necessities, what’s important, and save up for your financial goals.

These are all simple ways to stop impulse buying and save money. And whether you decide to do one, two, or all of them, you’ll be taking steps in the right direction to prevent impulse buying. Decide what works best for you and stick to it!

How are you going to stop impulse buying? Share in the comments below!