You either head out to the mall and see an item in the store window that you cannot wait to get. Therefore, you whip out your wallet and then you cannot help yourself, you buy that item. Then you walk down towards another shop and the same thing happens! You cannot wait to buy the next item that you see. Also, if you are at home, and you are watching TV and you are scrolling on your smartphone, and you see some Amazon deals, you click to order and before you are finished, you have already purchased five things. That is the definition of impulse buying. When you have the urge to buy an item and you do not have a use for it. All you did was spend money on an item that will only take up space in your home. That can apply to services too.
Why do some people give in to impulse buying? And it does not reflect on intelligence, and you do not even have to have a lot of mental illnesses to fall prey to that. However, after you realize that you bought the items without thinking it through, you cannot help but feel regretful that you spent that money on those items that you did not need. Why did you buy those items without thinking it through first?
The Reason Behind Impulse Buying Is Not So Concrete
There was a study conducted on the impulse buying phenomenon by researchers at Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg in Bavaria, Germany. There is no real concrete conclusion to the reason behind impulse buying. However, it stems from whether you are a pleasure seeker or if you are the type that looks for security. However, if you are the type that looks for security, you will only purchase items that you know will keep you safe instead of items that will make you happy. Sometimes you may buy items because you are curious, or you do it as a method to indulge.
If you buy on impulse because you are curious, you would be the one to buy something you have never tried before such as candy or an item you have never seen but captivates you somehow. Or, if you feel you deserve to indulge because you have worked very hard (which is completely fine to do if that is the only time you buy on impulse), you will do that.
Therefore, you may feel differently after buying something on impulse regardless of the reason. You may be thrilled with your new purchase, or you may be upset with yourself for giving in to your impulses especially if money is tight. Once again, there is nothing wrong with impulse buying once in a while, especially if you want to treat yourself. However, there are tips that you can utilize if you find this to be an ongoing problem.
How To Stop Impulse Buying
There are ways you can control your impulse spending if you find this to be a problem. The best thing to do is if you plan to shop, stick to that plan and stick to what you plan to purchase. If you come in contact with something that causes you to want to whip out your debit or credit card, keep your emotions in check and weigh the pros and cons of buying that item. If it does not make sense to buy it, then keep your debit or credit cards in your wallet. You may even want to bring someone with you to shop so they can also keep you in check. You may also want to limit your time on social media because you will come in contact with an ad that may entice you. It is all about keeping control and staying mindful.
