You've probably heard of tricks that make you spend more money while shopping. For example, if you come to the supermarket after a working day and are hungry, you cannot resist buying an extra chocolate bar while passing by the shelves with sweets. This is especially true of junk food - chips, salted nuts, crackers, "Snickers" and others - this food is most attractive in terms of impulsive purchases.
You have also heard that merchandisers display the most expensive goods on the shelves that are at eye level of store customers. The same goods, but cheaper, are located on the shelves above, and the most inexpensive ones are on the lowest shelves. Moreover, the quality of these goods is not worse. The shelves that are at the level of our eyes are called golden. Guess why?
Who is affected by emotional waste?
Did you know that a person can spend more or less money than planned, depending on his mood?
If you're feeling depressed, it's easy to convince yourself that you deserve dinner at a restaurant and that pair of expensive shoes. And also this Moet & Chandon bottle.
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And if you are happy and serene, you can easily save money. After all, you are sure that you are able to control not only your finances, but your whole life.
Understanding how your emotions affect your wallet content can help you make informed spending decisions.
Why do people spend money on unnecessary things
We often rationalize our costs. We can convince ourselves that we are entitled to spend on whims because we work hard and hard, we are tired or stressed.
However, if we start thinking in this way too often, we will go off course and forget about the main purpose for which we are saving money.
If we refuse to look at our expenses honestly and soberly, we will continue to make the wrong financial decisions. Instead of lying to yourself, justifying unnecessary spending, you need to change your mind and make purchases not impulsively, but consciously.
People who make impulsive purchases under the influence of a bad mood are called emotional wasteers.
So, if you have recognized that you also belong to the number of emotional wasteful, you need to learn to distinguish between your real needs and impulsive "wants".
The enemies of our wallet are in our heads
In addition to rationalizing emotional shopping, there are other ways we convince ourselves to spend money on unnecessary things.
1. We buy expensive things to impress other (sometimes unfamiliar) people. The days when our self-confidence is at zero are the most risky in terms of rash acquisitions.
2. We often buy unnecessary things that we did not have in childhood, but really wanted. How about a bike now gathering dust on your balcony?
Solving the problem of emotional waste
What do you need to do to save your bank account from emotional waste?
- Admit this problem.
- Get in the habit of not paying attention to advertisements of any kind - on TV, radio, magazines. Unsubscribe from all promotional mailings that come to your email.
- Try not to succumb to temptation, be mindful, learn to control your emotions by seeing your deceased grandmother's favorite perfume on sale that reminds you of your childhood.
- Make it a rule to take time out to think about a big purchase. Even if you have the required amount and you can lay it out here and now, give yourself at least 2 weeks to think it over. Try to analyze why you need it and how badly you need it. Feel free to ask yourself questions. For example, "Maybe I want that coat from Max Mara not because it is comfortable and warm, but to wipe Natasha's nose from the third floor?" or "If I buy that Porsche, will I be sure to prove to my dad that I'm not a loser?" etc.
- Stick a sticker on your wallet with the phrase "Do you really need this?"
- When you go to the supermarket for weekly purchases, be sure to have a shopping list with you. This method is too simple, but very powerful.
And at the checkout … so be it, because you bought everything exactly according to the list, you can reward yourself with a chocolate!
Author: Galina Ruta