Mail Order Catalogs
One source of temptation is mail order catalogs. Of course the easiest solution to avoiding this temptation is to have your name removed from catalog mailing list. You can do this by going to a website designed to help you remove your name from catalog mailing list. You can also call the customer service number on the catalog and ask to have the mailings stopped.
If, however, you do receive a catalog and find yourself giving in to the temptation to browse then you might want to follow my seven day impulse resistance plan. Go ahead and browse through the catalog on a “pretend” shopping spree. Circle the items that you find tempting. Then, put the catalog aside for seven days. At the end of seven days consider how often in the past week you thought about or needed the items you were tempted to buy. Chances are you seldom thought about them or needed them. After the seven day waiting period you can probably just throw away the catalog and feel good about yourself for not having fallen victim to impulse shopping.
Television and Internet Shopping
You are in control of what you watch on television and what websites you visit online. Simply do not spend minutes or hours watching home shopping networks or shopping online. You can easily spend money much too quickly shopping online without actually realizing how much money you are adding to your credit card until the feeling of guilt hits you. There is no need to fall for the advertising push to buy quickly because the offer won't be repeated. You should always follow the seven day plan or maybe even a longer wait depending on the cost of the purchase and the effect it will have on your budget.
Tempting Store Displays
Before you go shopping, prepare a list. Displays are designed to catch your attention and tempt you to purchase items that you had not even thought about buying prior to coming to the store. The seven day plan can even work for grocery shopping. Don't buy an unplanned display item at first sight. Leave it until your next shopping trip. If you still feel you need or seriously desire that item on your shopping trip next week them go ahead and purchase it. Chances are that when seven days have passed you won't even remember the item that tempted you.
In spite of following the above suggestions you may still occasionally fall victim to impulse buying. There are still a few ways to relieve yourself of the guilt that might follow an impulse buy.
The Return Process
Have you ever bought an item on impulse and even before you got home you were wondering, “Why did I buy that?” or “What am I going to do with this?” If so, be sure you keep your receipt, do not remove the tags or unpack the item once you get home. At your first opportunity return the item to the store. (In a case like this you don't need to follow the seven day plan.) You won't do this many times before the inconvenience of returning items will encourage you to think more carefully before buying on impulse.
Personal Inventory
On a very regular basis, at least once every seven days, take an inventory of your home and make certain you are not buying items on impulse without realizing it. Check your closet for new purchases of items that you haven't worn. How many household gadgets are cluttering your cabinets or drawers that you never use? Do you have a stack of magazines that you subscribed to on impulse that you have barely glanced through? Check your kitchen cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator for impulse items you bought on a shopping trip and have never prepared or eaten.
Do you need to adopt my plan for a seven day cure to impulse buying?
