How To Stop Impulse Buying And Save Money In 2 Simple Steps

So you want to be cured FOREVER from impulse buying. Then you first need to find YOUR emotional spending trigger. That is step 1. Step 2 is to create your own money make-over so to say. But, as I have gone through this process myself, I know that therefore you need to change your financial habits. That takes time. A long time. But it’s worth it and you will save so much money! Promised.

In this post, I will tell you the 10 quick-fix strategies that can help you to step away from compulsive shopping first. Then we will look at the simple but honestly quite hard 2-step process empowering you to stop impulse buying FOREVER. Period. Here’s my story.

For me, it was always the same picture: the closer the 31st of a month got the shorter on cash I was. But the money was never the problem. I had enough. The problem was all of those little impulse buys that added up. Everywhere. The feeling to miss a good deal was always with me when I passed our local supermarket or just walked through our city center. Back then I didn’t know why. But I knew I should check just one store. And there it was. A red sticker telling me that the item is on 50 % Off Sale. „What a great deal, right?“ and had put it into my basket. I paid with a credit card and simply didn‘t look at my credit card statement afterwards. 31st of the month. Broke.

How To Break The Habit Of Impulse Buying First

Enough is enough. I decided to take on the fight against my habit of impulse buying. It was quite a rollercoaster. What I realized is that there were some quick-fix strategies that acted like my little helpers to keep me going.

Let’s take a look at the 10 quick-fix strategies helping you to take on the fight against your habit of impulse buying in daily life. Those can be attributed to getting convenience out of the way. Or to training our mind to overcome the 3 emotional triggers behind making impulsive buying decisions purchases. I talked about those in the last post, Impulse Buying: Its Roots & How To Overcome 3 Main Triggers.

Pay With Cash – In A Special Way

Paying with cash really changed the game for me. Nothing was more powerful to stop my impulse shopping and sticking to my monthly budget than paying with cash. That’s because I could literally see the money leaving my wallet. That did something with me. I had the feeling that my spendings almost became real. You don’t have that when paying with a card as you just see some pixels on a screen.

But, paying with cash was only so powerful for me because I’ve already incorporated the idea of having a monthly budget first. I’d like to look at the example of impulse buying in a grocery store to illustrate how paying with cash can change your spending habits in the grocery store. This is how you can use paying with cash in a special way you’ve might not have considered before.

1. You look at the money you have left in your bank account to spend until the next paycheck. Let’s say it’s 700 Euros.
2. You think about special costs and any (!) other costs that might come up during that time. Let’s assume your kids got invited to a big birthday party unexpectedly and you need a gift (30 Euros). Also, you’ll need to pay daycare (500 Euros): 700 – 30 – 500 = 170 Euros.
3. You now still put aside some money anyway even if you’re not expecting any special costs like 50 Euros just in case. This is very important! 170 – 50 = 120 Euro.
4. You look at your pantry, freezer and refrigerator and think about meals to prep while using up what you already have. Also, you do a quick check of your pantry and your bathroom. Have you run out of toilet paper?
5. You create a shopping list. Try to stay as frugal as you can here. Buy healthy but affordable as much as possible. We talk about your shopping list later too.
6. You estimate the total amount of your purchase. Let’s say it will be 70 Euros. You run your numbers 120 -70 = 50 Euros
7. You make sure to only have 70 Euro in cash when you go shopping. On your way out you open your postbox and discover a medical bill you’ve forgot. 90 Euro. Fortunately you have 50 Euro left (step 6) and another 50 Euro (step 3). Your wiggle room is 10 Euro now. Better stick to your shopping list!

Leave Your Wallet At Home

Leaving my wallet at home when I go to pick up the girls from daycare was powerful. Because when I have my wallet with me I can guarantee that in one of two times you will find me in the grocery store next to our house buying a fresh pretzel. But that‘s not even the worst. Even worse is that by doing so I passed those shopping habits of impulse buying onto my daughters. I don‘t want them to learn that. So, whenever you leave your home without the intention to buy something, leave your wallet at home.

Create A Shopping List For Bigger Purchases

Creating a shopping list for bigger purchases helped my family the most. We tended to make bigger purchases without planning them financially ahead of time. New chairs for our home office, a new pair of shoes for hiking, new sports equipment – the list could go on. Simply creating a shopping list and talking about what we want to buy next helps limiting unplanned purchases.

Cut Your Loyalty Card

I once got a loyalty card from our local butcher. I received one stamp for every purchase bigger than a certain amount. Of course, I always made sure to buy meat for at least that amount. Also, wen I had collected all 10 stamps (or 12 – it‘s been a while since I had that card) I was eligible for a free item. I do not only purchased more meat to get my stamps. But I also went more often to the butcher than needed to reach my stamp goal faster. My progress motivated me to spend more at a faster pace. I can tell firsthand: if you have a loyalty card, simply cut your card. By doing so you can help yourself to stop impulse shopping immediately.

The “Do I Really Need This?” Question

The “Do I really need this?” question answered honestly can help you step away from this form of compulsive buying. My favorite example is still the pre-cooked colored egg package we can buy in a store that would have caused big question marks for my grandma. Maybe she would have thought that these eggs are spoiled. So, do you really need that?

The “Never Shop Hungry” Rule

The “Do Not Shop Hungry” rule is simply true. Whenever I go into a grocery store with my shopping list on an empty stomach, I am not a rational person anymore. I either start putting food in my cart I don‘t have on my shopping list or I buy a quick, unhealthy snack. I can prevent that by taking 5 minutes to eat something before heading out to the grocery store.

Avoid The Ads

Adds are everywhere. You find them in your mailbox in form of the latest sale prospectus from your local supermarket maybe with some coupons inside. You see them along the street, when you go window shopping or online shopping or check your e-mails that are full of promotions. My best tip: avoid the adds initially. Trying to ignore the adds does not work. If you can‘t resist, check the bad reviews of that item before making an impulse purchase. Maybe that will do the job. If not, unsubscribe from email lists or stop window shopping or online shopping if you do it just for recreation. Throw away those sales prospects and simply don’t look inside. But what can you do if, for example, the habit of window shopping slides in again? I started to go for a walk in the park with colleagues and friends instead of just going shopping without a clear intention of what it is I wanted to buy. Until today, I kept that habit because I realized: I am so much more relaxed after a walk through nature than through a shopping mall.

Make Your Impulse Purchase Difficult

I put more steps between my impulse and the act of buying. For the grocery store it means having the amount I need in cash with me and no cards. I take my oldest daughter with me to teach her that process of „when the money is gone from my pocket, it‘s gone and there is no more shopping“.

Create Inconvenience

Create inconvenience to stop impulse buying in an online store. I am not logged in at our Amazon account. Instead, I create a list of what I think I „need“ to buy on Amazon or another online store. My husband and I look over that list before we buy. That really helps.

Leave The House Prepared

I believe it’s our convenient way of living that causes us to leave our homes unprepared. So, actually we are not guilty, aren’t we? My grandmother never left the house without packing snacks and drinks. That habit got lost along the way to my generation. But that spreads to all areas in our lifes.

We forget checking the weather before heading out the door. Even if we can do that – compared to my grandmother. That’s how I collected a couple of umbrellas at home. I never checked the weather before I headed out the door and I bought another umbrella when it started to rain. It’s that convenient way of living we are used to. We simply know we will always find another umbrella to buy within minutes – compared to my grandmother. But it‘s so easy to prevent these kind of situations.

For example, I never had the habit of taking a bottle of water with me. Even if my commute to work was an hour. One day I was so exhausted after being stuck in the train for hours without a drop of water (while being pregnant) that I literally swore to myself something. From now on, I will take 2 minutes to grab a bottle of water and check the weather every time before I leave the house. It’s only 2 minutes.

How To Stop Impulse Buying FOREVER In 2 Simple Steps

Now you know about the 10 quick-fix strategies to reduce or avoid impulse buying situations upfront. Which one could have the biggest impact on your financial behavior? Give it a try and start today. Are you ready to get cured and stop impulse buying once and forever? Here is the simple 2-step process that helped me the most (and I tried a lot). Period.

1. Looking at the psychology behind YOUR impulse buying
2. Creating YOUR money make-over choosing a helping habit

Step 1: Looking At The Psychology Behind YOUR Impulse Buying

In the first step you want to figure out why you are impulse shopping. Therefore, we want to identify YOUR initial root cause and triggers from your past. Think about how money was used in your childhood. What money beliefs or desires have you incorporated? How have those transformed during your teenage years? What were your first experiences with earning money in young adulthood? Here’s my very personal, honest story about why I was addicted to impulse shopping.

When I was a student, I established the habit of impulse buying. I lived in a flat directly in the center of my university‘s city. The temptations were right in front of my door. I couldn‘t escape them. I‘ll never forget the day I found a 50 Euro banknote on the street. “Awesome!” Unfortunately, I had borrowed money from other students and after paying everything back, I was left with a few dimes. Ouch! I knew my compulsive shopping was the root cause but I didn‘t know why I was doing this in the first place.

So, I started to create a shopping list. It didn‘t help. I mostly found everything else other than what I was searching for. Especially when I went shopping for new clothes in the shopping malls. Many times I bought them with a debit card or my credit card if I couldn‘t afford to pay for it at the checkout line. This led to a series of bad money habits.

When I then started my first real jobs I expanded that compulsive shopping. It has gone so far that I went into the grocery store nearly every day. It was on my way to work and back. Shopping just to shop was a habit. Without any clear intention of what it is I want to buy. I mean, how else could I find sales to save money, right? My mobile phone enlarged the temptations even more. I had many Apps with an account that was already logged in. I scrolled through Amazon on the commute snatching up something. None of these purchases were expensive or ruined my budget. But the sum of it did.

Back then I just didn’t know what a conscious money decision was. I only knew that creating a shopping list was not the answer to stop my impulsive buying decisions. What a pity. It could have been so easy. That was quite a learning. A money make-over is never easy. It‘s hard. And that‘s why many put it off. I get it, firsthand! Let me ask you some questions that helped me the most to figure out that I need a money make-over.

• Have you ever thought you „deserve“ to buy something to treat yourself for all of your hard work? That is a very dangerous thought. Don‘t get me wrong. It‘s great to spend money on things that truly have a positive impact on your life. But what stands behind the idea of treating yourself with buying something because you deserve it? You need a reward for your work. Why?

• Have you ever felt joy because you bought something new, maybe with a deal? That is called retail therapy. You shop in order to feel happier. When I found a great deal I thought I hacked the system. Awesome as „the system“ was not always on my side – another dangerous thought. Especially when I found salmon 50 % off I was so happy. Even if the refrigerator was full of high-quality fish. Totally irrational. What I lacked was something essential in my life. I tried to fill that gap unconsciously. That something was my believe I cannot empower myself making „the system“ be on my side.

• Have you ever checked your bank account and were a bit shocked, where did all that money go? However, saving is just not for everyone. You certainly cannot stick to a budget or savings goal. That is only something for people with more money. Or with more time to think about what they want to buy and create a plan. So, you‘re just not good with money. And you will never be, right?

Does any of those 3 scenarios sound familiar to you? Do you want to stay there forever? If not, there is a way to get out of that rat race and stop impulsive spending or emotional spending forever. That way is to create your personal money makeover so that you can give your money a more meaningful purpose.

Step 2: Creating YOUR Money Make-Over Choosing A Helping Habit

This is how YOUR money makeover could look like.

1. YOU have to be aware that you need to become better with your money FIRST and then think about how to solve your spending problem or income problem or both.
2. YOU figure out the emotional trigger behind YOUR impulse buying – if you haven’t already in step 1.
3. YOU find some quick-fix strategies helping you on your way to stop impulse buying forever. Now, you started to really take on the fight against your compulsive buying.
4. YOU practice making conscious money decisions and treating your money in a goal-oriented way. Therefore, you need to start tracking your expenses.
5. YOU find your „helping habit“ as follows.

Let‘s look at step 4 in detail first. What is a conscious money decision? The exact opposite of impulsive buying decisions. You start to think before you spend. When you spend money you do it with an intention. You considered the purchase you‘re about to make before you make it. You considered other things that your money could buy instead and intentionally decided that this is the purchase you want to make.

How? By first knowing where your money is actually going. Because only then you can see if you have enough wiggle room to make that purchase. Nothing is more important than tracking your expenses. If you have the impression that money just flows out of your pocket into a black hole, start tracking your expenses. Just give it a try for 1 short week for only 1 category like grocery shopping and collect your shopping bills. Extract your impulse purchases and write them down or somehow mark them separately to make them visible to you. Once you see your real expenses this will do something to you.

You will realize how much money you have spent with only little to no usage. You‘ll start to think about what else this money could have bought you. For example, if you tracked spending 25 bucks on impulse purchases in the grocery store over the course of 1 week, sum it up over one month. How much would that be? 100. Over the course of 1 year that‘s 1.200. What could you have done with that money instead?

But even if I am well aware of this I still have to take on the fight against my impulsive buying behavior every time when I go shopping with my list in the grocery store. Every time. After years. I realized that I simply need a helping habit whenever I feel off-track from making a conscious money decision. Whenever impulsive spending is about to kick in.

Choosing A Helping Habit

Let‘s say your emotional trigger is stress from work. You then go shopping for recreation or for treating yourself. What could you do instead to fulfill your need of stress relief in a healthier way? For me that‘s talking a walk, ideally in nature or in a park. But I also recognized that when I tried meditation in the early mornings that initially made me respond to stress with more ease. Also, my level of self-control was higher in general. So, my helping habits are 2: taking a walk outside and a meditation session in the morning to boost my self-control.

If you too are a busy mom of little kids, you know first-hand that if your mind is settled, you can easily focus in everyday life. And if you‘ve got a bit more sleep last night. I struggled a lot with focus and distractions, especially since I‘m a mom. Meditating every day for 10 minutes changed the game for me. I tried different YouTube channels and Apps.

The App Headspace worked best for me and it‘s the only one I pay for. It is one of the best investments I‘ve ever made. There‘s also the initial book Get Some Headspace: 10 Minutes Can Make All The Difference.

I can also highly recommend the book „Breathe, Mama, Breathe: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Busy Moms“. A big thank you to my mom who gifted me that after I became a first-time mom. I love the approach in the book of taking at least 5 little minutes for myself in the morning and practice mindfulness. It calms me and I get a clear mind for the day.

The result? For me, it was this moment in my mid 30s. For the first time in my life, I could remember what I bought for myself in one year. First, I felt quite embarrassed. I mean, I was already in my mid 30s! But isn’t that a great thing to finally get there? It was a great feeling of accomplishment. But to be honest I also had a huge motivator in mind. I thought about what money habits I want to pass down to my kids.

According to research the money beliefs of our kids are already settled by age 7! They start to grasp how we treat money at around the age of 3. To me, that means I need to show them how to shop with intention from the beginning. I’d love them to not impulse shop but learn to prioritize savings. My hope is that my daughters will then invest their savings from the beginning and let it grow into more money. That should secure them a comfortable financial future and allow them to have more choices in life than all the generations before them once had.

If we want our kids to get total control over their personal finances we need to show them the right financial decisions to make now.

A little spoiler: We just have put this kind of financial help and so much more into a Workbook for F.I.R.E. to be published on our Blog. So stay tuned. It is a practical step-by-step guide on how a European family like ours (and everyone else) can get total control over their finances to achieve financial independence and make the early retirement dream a reality. Now, you can either impulse buy your next family sized pizza or you invest that little money now to eventually make your early retirement dream a reality for your family.

When you walk away today with at least one new idea to improve your personal financial journey towards F.I.R.E., I’d love to show you some more in the next post. If you haven’t already, you can apply to become a part of the community to not miss any new release. For that you can subscribe to our Newsletter below in the green footer.

Now, I’d love to hear from you: How much do you estimate your impulse purchases to cost you in 1 week or month? Let me know in the comments below! I‘d love to run some numbers for you so that you know what would happen if you invest that money instead.