Have you ever walked out of a store feeling guilty because you bought more than you needed? If you are anything like me, then I am sure you have. For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with mindless shopping. Since buying something new often releases a short burst of dopamine in our brains, addiction to shopping is a very real problem quite a lot of us struggle with.
Fortunately, I am not the same person anymore, and I have adopted a far more minimalist lifestyle since the last few years. Thanks to which, my relationship with shopping has completely changed too. Obviously, none of these changes came overnight, but with acting with intention and being consistent with my efforts finally showed results, and I couldn’t have been happier.
Of course, this is not to say that I am anywhere near perfect, but I am a lot more mindful about what I am buying and intentional with where I spend my money. So if you are struggling with something similar and are looking for something to help be mindful when shopping, then I have got you! These are some of my top tips to reduce impulse shopping and become a lot more mindful with things you buy…
- Know your why
Having a reason behind why you are starting something new makes it a lot easier to actually stick with it. For me, I knew I wanted to change my shopping habits because I wanted better impulse control. But for you, it could be because you are trying to save more money, want to be less wasteful or maybe even adopt a minimalist lifestyle. Whatever it is, know that having a compelling reason behind adopting this change will help you resist temptation and make sticking to your resolve that much easier.
- Understand your triggers
Often times, we don’t always shop because we need something. There are a lot of underlying reasons that tempt us to buy things. Some of those reasons may look like:
- Boredom – Using shopping as a means of entertainment
- To feel better – Shopping when you are sad or need a quick distraction
- Scarcity mindset – Feeling like you never have enough clothes
- Sales – A good deal can often times be hard to resist even if you don’t really need anything new
- Social media – Looking at all the all the fashion bloggers and influencers on social media can make you feel like you don’t have enough clothes or like you need everything that’s currently in trend
- Make a to-buy list
I have noticed so many things change for the better since I started making and carrying a shopping list with me. Here are a few
- Reduces the number of decisions I need to make – Having a shopping list means I know exactly what I need, hence preventing decision overwhelm.
- Reduces wastage – Makes sure I buy just the things I need, thereby reducing the chances of it going to waste.
- Resists temptation – Most stores are filled with so many different products and they’re designed in a way that tempts you to add way more to your cart than you would actually need. But when I have a list, I know exactly what I have entered a store for. It’s like wearing blinders
Apart from this, a shopping list helps me save so much time and money too. It is one of the best habits I have incorporated to help me be more mindful when shopping.
- Avoid certain sections
This is something I follow ALL the time. A section that doesn’t have any item from the things on my list gets skipped. For example, if I have gone shopping for clothes only, then I do not go to the shoe, bag or accessories section. You never when ‘I am just going to take a quick look’ would turn into one extra thing won’t hurt. This is another great way to resist temptation and stick to your shopping plan.
- Understand your personal style
This one’s really underrated, but was actually a game changer for me. Taking the time to really know and understand my personal style, helped me avoid buying anything and everything that caught my eye. Knowing what colours, patterns, textures you like helps you stick to those styles and not be impulsive when shopping.
- Set a budget
Before I go shopping for anything, I like to decide how much I money I am willing to spend in total. Having a pre-decided budget gives me a both a goal and limit for my expenses, and once I am over the budget, I stop shopping to reevaluate where and how I am spending my money. Turns out, more often than not, a little reevaluation helps me put things into perspective, which in turn helps me be more mindful when shopping.
- Avoid shopping when bored
As mentioned earlier, shopping gives us a little boost of dopamine, and you are lot more likely to buy things on an impulsive when bored. Avoid going to the mall when you have a free afternoon or are simply bored. When I stopped viewing shopping as a means of entertainment, things started to change for me. I started looking at shopping as simply a means to buy something I need, instead of a something to do because I was bored.
To break this habit, start with thinking of a few things you can do when bored instead of shopping. For me, it’s painting, reading, going for a walk, meeting a friend for coffee or setting up a self-care afternoon for myself. All of these things are healthier, and a lot less expensive, meaning they are better for my wallet too.