A friend recently told me a story of her mum buying $8 stools for her home, having found them at the local thrift shop and felt like it was too good a deal not to pass up. That’s nice for her, I was thinking, but my friend quickly let me know she didn’t even have a kitchen bench. Now she had bar stools cluttering up her home with nowhere to put them.
The lesson. Sometimes you have to bypass a good deal.
With markdowns and sale events becoming a constant part of the retail landscape, especially during an economic downturn when small and large businesses are needing to compete on price to keep their businesses afloat, the temptation to purchase due to getting a good deal is high.
If you’ve ever unpacked your shopping bag or opened the latest parcel that arrived at your door and asked yourself ‘why did I buy that?’ you might need to reset your shopping habits. Here are 6 methods to get your mind and purchase behaviour in sync.
1. Start a shopping journal.
Every time you make a purchase, for your wardrobe, home or an area you’re focused on, write down the item you purchased, how much it was, and when you bought it. Then at the end of each month look at the total amount of items you bought and how much you’ve spent, plus also note down how often you’ve worn or used those items. You might discover it’s the thrill of the search rather than the joy the actual item brings you.
2. Do a detox
We don’t promote diets here, but if you think you have a shopping addiction or just a bit of a bad shopping habit, it might be worth giving yourself a strict shopping pause. Set yourself a goal to buy NOTHING for a month.
3. 24 hour Cooling Off Period
If you’re not sure about a full detox, then give yourself a 24 hour cooling off period between adding to cart and then returning to make the purchase. It will help to eliminate any emotional purchases as you can sleep on it and give yourself time to really think it over.
4. Write a Wish list
If there are particular things you think you need or want, for example, if you have always wanted a coat for winter, or need new dining chairs, then write it down. Knowing what you actually need gives you focus and are less likely to get distracted by other pretty things.
5. Avoid Pay Later Options
We love that there are options out there to assist us manage our cash flow, but if you are looking to reset your shopping habits then only buy things that you can pay for right now. Pay Later options increase our spending habits by 20%. So if you want to reign it in, this is a good tactic to employ.
6. Avoid your Triggers
A preliminary to this is identifying your shopping triggers. Who or what makes you want to shop? If you’re trying to save and know that you have a weakness for #Tiktokmademebuyit, then stop scrolling. If you’ve done step one and written down your most recent purchases it might help to realise any patterns.
