Have you ever stopped to think about how your "mood" affects the way you shop, not to mention the amount you spend? Think about it. If you want to save a lot of money, avoid shopping whenever you are in one of these moods: DEPRESSED, UPSET, or ANGRY It's very dangerous for your pocketbook to shop when you're either depressed, upset or angry. Why? Many people find that shopping takes their mind away from their problems. In fact, it probably does. But how much does it cost you? Not only does shopping not solve your problems, but you will also spend money that you did not originally intend to spend. When you're not feeling "well", instead of shopping, do something where you do not have to spend money. Go to a park. Check out the local library. Go on a nice jog or bike ride. Remember that if you HAVE to get out of the house, plan an activity where you do not have to spend money. You'll feel much better about this decision after you have cooled down (or cheered up). :-) Envy Shopping Sounds terrible doesn't it, but you'd be surprised to learn how many of us purchase quite a number of items out of envy. Does a friend have a "cool" $600 leather jacket that you want? Have a cousin who drives a flashy sports car? Who cares!! That doesn't mean you have to spend all your hard earned money to compete with them. Buy what you want, when you want, and not because someone else has it. Sale Shopper Unless you actually need or want to shop for certain products, don't go to store "sales". Even though sales provide you with some lower prices, most of the time, shoppers end up spending more money than they intended to. This is the purpose of sales. A store lowers their prices, announces and advertises a big sale, then hoards of people arrive. People come to the sale, and generally spend much more money on merchandise they really don't need. Be a smart shopper. If you find something at a sale that you really need, go ahead and buy it. When you start piling your cart full of stuff you really don't need, remember this article! Plan a Shopping Budget If you plan a monthly shopping budget, you'll find that you will become more "picky" about what you buy. Why you ask? You don't want to spend your budget on useless items, right? Having a shopping budget will force yourself to answer the most important question: Do I really need this? If you know the answer to this question, then you will know whether to buy or not. Moral of the story: Plan yourself a shopping budget, don't spend it when you're upset, and ask yourself the question: Do I really need this? This will help minimize the unnecessary purchase that we all make from time to time. |
