Impulse buying can be addictive check out Stop Gettng Hosed

Ah, instant gratification. Doesn’t if feel great!? For about a minute, until you realize it was either something you didn’t need or you could have used the money for something more important. Well I know how you feel I have these so called cravings, but I manage to convince myself about 85% of the time to not buy it. It’s not easy but it takes a bit of training to get to this point. Believe it or not this is controllable and I will teach you a few ways to kick this nasty habit.

Wean yourself off:

The way I see it impulse buying is like any other addiction. You need to gradually wean yourself off. Let me give you a few tips to help minimize or demolish this craving. This addiction ruins savings and your financial well being. So let’s start….

When I am out and I see that something is on sale, I question everything with a price tag, because I have implanted the notion of I know I can find cheaper which intern diminishes my urge. Also do I really need another hedge trimmer with that new fangled gadget on it? Not really, so I try to convince myself, and that is key, you really need to convince yourself on how much do I really need that item. It will be sitting with the other crap I have already taking up space in the garage where my car should be? Own up to the repercussions of owning that new item. This I have to admit is a tough one. Your subconscious is extremely clever, if that goes so will your will power. Then you lost the battle. Yes, I know all that advertising really gets to you. You need to fight the urge, do what it takes.

Will power you have it in you:

A very good example and I am sure this happens to a lot of you. You go and buy that item you really do need then you pass buy the candy isle and you’re tempted to pickup a chocolate bar. Don’t deny it! I know it happens more often then not. And still you manage to convince yourself to pickup that dollar item. Really if you add up all those chocolate bars, by the end of the month you could have pocketed 50 bucks, now times that by twelve. Cha-ching 550.00 buckaroos!!! Wow! Now you can get that item you really needed. Work on this one it is well worth it. Take a lot of will power.

Postponing that transaction:

Try postponing your purchase buy a day. If you just wait the next day you either will realize you really didn’t need it or you really did! If you wait long enough you may find a better deal. But I guarantee if you wait it out, most of those purchases would have not happened. It’s that instant gratification syndrome as I call it that gets you every time. You have that itch to buy something. Convince it can wait and delay the purchase, you may not feel good about it but I promise the next day you will!

Keep a fun fund:

Keep a monthly fun fund or some people call it a play fund. You give yourself a set amount of money a month to spend it how you like. Now I am not saying put a thousand bucks in that fun fund but something you can afford, basically enough to quell your addiction. It may only take a buck to get rid of that itch. What ever works for you and does not burn a whole in your pocket.

Have a plan for your money:

What also works for me is have a plan with your funds. Think of all the necessities you may need. For example if you need to replace the old car. This will help you damper those impulses you have. Use that as a roadblock for all instant gratification purchases. Just convince yourself that this car is much more important then that hedge trimmer. You will feel allot better knowing that when you do purchase that car in full you don’t owe a penny. For me that is true gratification and you sleep a lot better.

Keeping up with your neighbors:

Keeping up with the Jones…. What ever you do don’t get sucked in. So your neighbor has a new lawnmower. Doesn’t mean that you have to go out and buy a better one. It’s the trap that seems to get everyone and empty out your account. The next door neighbor gets new appliances then you get that craving to get new appliances. It’s a never ending cycle you can’t win. You need to have will power and don’t get caught up it!

Keep fighting the fight:

To fight instant gratification you really need to work on it. I promise it won’t be easy and you will fail a few times but nothing is easy and the effects are not immediate. But as you figure out how you think and work you can adjust your habits. Then you will notice that your habits will have changed for the better. Your bank account will thank you and so will you non cluttered garage.