Using Plastic
If you buy with a credit card instead of cash, it is much easier to pass over the card than if you have to physically count out the bills.
The reality of the cash leaving your bank account isn’t as obvious.
That being said, I use plastic all the time, but I don’t overspend over my own personal limit.
I do however, feel myself being less resistant to extra little charges at times. I’ll add a chocolate bar or something, but I wouldn’t overspend by an incredible amount.
Listening to Music or other mood changers
If you listen to music while spending, you WILL spend more money.
It gets you in a good mood, makes you feel great, on top of the world and ready to spend.
Comparing prices
Your original budget was $50 for a pair of jeans, so spending $300 on a pair of jeans might make you cringe… but when you see another pair on sale for $100, you might think it’s a real steal, so you go for it.
In reality, you’ve just overspent by $50, because you compared the prices of the items you wanted to buy rather than looking at the absolute cost.
Dieting or any difficult changes in your life
You aren’t your “usual” self, so you make yourself feel more normal by spending, because you feel deprived of what you love to eat.
I think this could also apply to if your budget is too strict — you will feel imprisoned and the need to let go of your shackles will be stronger than ever.
This is the reason why many people suggest having a small provision set aside each month to spend for fun.
Buying on clearance
The fear of missing out on a good sale makes you irrational.
You feel the urge to buy it just because it’s cheaper and you use it!
This might be a good thing, if it’s let’s say.. toilet paper, but it isn’t so good when you apply it to everything, such as when you snag a pair of gloves when you already own 4 other pairs (*ahem*).
Shopping without a list
If you buy things off your list, you are obviously more likely to spend.
So go with a list if you really don’t want to go off budget. Another trick would be to bring cash for exactly what you want to buy, and leave the cards at home — you cannot spend what you don’t have.
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Music! Crap! Good to know!
If I go to the grocery store without a shopping list, bad things happen. I don’t often notice music playing in stores unless it’s really loud, which seems to the case fairly often (or it could be I’m just getting old and crotchety) – but it definitely has an effect on my spending. I usually get annoyed enough that I walk out long before I find anything I want to buy.
I’m young but I don’t like loud music either. When it hurts my eardrums, I
don’t even care what I need to buy, I’m out of there.
Without a shopping list in the grocery store, I’m buying things on the fly,
and that poses a problem when you’re trying to remember what else you need
to stock up on. 🙂
I totally agree! I can’t concentrate in stores with loud music or stores that have the heat blasting. When it comes to the grocery store, I need to stick to my list!!
Thank you for this post, really helpful at this stage in my life.
http://tasmanianminimalist.blogspot.com/
The plastic sounds eerily familiar. I’ve been bleeding money for the past month and I really want to cut back. I think I’m going to put down the credit cards for a while and try a cash only system. At least until I get back on track.
So, is that why they play great music in department stores?
Yes. And it’s also why they make delicious smells waft through stores so
that you buy more. Like a cookie or cake smell.
Using cash makes a huge difference for us. We are spending quite a bit less than when we charge everything. It’s a lot less convenient, but that’s the point right? You’re also correct about shopping without a list. When I go to the grocery store and wing it, I always buy way too much stuff.
Using cash makes a difference for me too, but credit card REWARDS! 🙂
FB, It’s been a bad month for me. I’ve spent a ton of money on things I shouldn’t have this month. I needed to bump up my work wardrobe and have spent $350. My BFF called (her husband is deployed and she cares for two kids under the age of 3) and did not sound good so I booked a quick trip to the west coast to see her for $258. Then I decided I needed to take care of my severe Fall allergies now and went for allergy testing; $300. I’ll get that $300 back from my HSA, but still, it’s been an expensive month. And all very automatic spending. Not thinking about what I’m doing at all.
Well perhaps the next time you need things like a trip or clothes you could
try this:
1) Shopping secondhand stores (some of the things I find in there are real
gems)
2) Shopping your wardrobe by using accessories to make an old top look new
3) Save money aside for emergency things like that trip?
Do any of the above sound doable? Good luck!
Agreed about the list. If you go in and just look at your list, instead of perusing, you can get in and out more efficiently. Something to be careful of, though, is forgetting things on your list. If you suddenly remember you need toothpaste, then maybe walking towards that you’ll keep your eyes peeled for something else you forgot, and thus, the list is useless.
This is the reason why whenever I think or remember that I need something, I
make a note immediately on my iPod Touch that is joined to my hip 🙂
Reason #4 – changes in your life. YES, so much. I have a really strict grocery budget this month, and I’ve been sticking to it faithfully, but out of nowhere I suddenly bought a bunch of clothes and shoes. It was the feeling of being pent-up, I think. I need to find some other outlet for this energy… am thinking of focusing on crafting using supplies that I already own.
Barring that, staying OUT of stores unless I have a specific list.
The binging on shopping is something I am really familiar with. I am really
GOOD for a period of time and then.. BAM! I felt like I needed a new hand
cream or something. *shakes head*
Luckily I did kind of need a new hand cream, but that’s beside the point. I
felt the urge right there and then.
A great list, reading things like this really helps giving me keep me in check!!
Yep, I stick around in my favorite boutique because they play great music. Also, I definitely spend more and stick around longer when salespeople I really like are working and they strike up conversations with me–but that’s okay, having worked in customer service and sales, I can appreciate when someone does their job well and I know that good salespeople will recommend products I like and give honest opinions.
Finally, I think someone needs to mention it–I definitely spend more when I’m with friends who like to shop! Especially if we have similar tastes!
When I am with people who are friendly, or with friends who are excited
about shopping… it’s done. DONE!! It’s why I suggest we go to restaurants
instead 😛 Can’t over shop there.
More likely to overspend using a COUPON!
TRUE!! 🙂 I don’t use coupons.. it’s rare that I even have one because they
never target what I want to buy.
Excellent list. I’ve noticed often that stores play very distracting music, making it hard to do calculations or even to just think objectively. I’ve got sufficiently annoyed with it on occasion to just walk out, but other times I’ve bought without thinking about it long enough…their intention, I’m sure.
I hate annoying/loud music or noise. I tend to leave stores that have that,
or if their alarms start beeping and NO ONE STOPS THEM!
I also whip out my iPod Touch (PDA) to calculate on the spot, so I don’t
have to do it while being distracted
Definitely agree with this. To make sure I’ve been sticking to my budget, I don’t even walk around with my debit/credit cards anymore – just a strict cash “diet”, so to speak. It’s working out so far, hopefully I’ll still be doing that in a few months!
Cash seems to work for a lot of people, but so does debit, although the
balance in your account is harder to track.
What I do with spending on credit cards is if I buy something for $5.50 and
something else for $6.25, I go home and pay those exact amounts immediately
from my chequing account. That usually makes me feel the pinch because I see
it disappear from my bank account and add up in my budget.
Great list. I’ve been guilty with most of them. Thanks for posting these reminders! :)!
So true, I’ve started giving myself a cash budget, and I never go shopping without a list.
The only reason why I don’t use cash is for the credit card points 🙂 I’ve
racked up $100 in free points so far, and over the past 9 years it’s been
over $1000 worth of free groceries