Get Rid of Your Shopping Habit with These Tips
Are you one of those people who love shopping all day in physical stores and online?
Well, you’re not alone!
About 5% of the population, especially those living in developed countries like Canada and the United States, are more prone to this habit.
But compulsive shopping behavior can gradually take a toll on you. So here are some great ways in which you can get rid of shopping addiction or oniomania!
1. Unsubscribe and uninstall
The simplest way of curbing your shopping spree is to first unsubscribe to and uninstall all the apps from where you frequently shop.
Many of you spend hours daily scrolling through different shopping websites, from Amazon to Etsy.
Even websites know just when to mail their customers irresistible offers and discounts.
So if you uninstall all of them, you won’t receive any of their emails or promotional offers. You can even go one step further and block all these sites.
As for social media, stores on platforms like Instagram and Youtube make it a point to unfollow or restrict influencers who push their viewers to mindlessly buy products.
2. Buy good-quality clothes
Earlier, our parents and grandparents never had to keep shopping for clothes because the ones they bought were sustainable enough to work for years.
One reason why a lot of people constantly buy clothes today is that they purchase cheap-quality ones that wear and tear easily.
To solve this problem, only buy clothes from reputed stores and guarantee longer-lasting garments.
You don’t necessarily have to purchase from luxury boutiques but look for shops that sell sustainable and eco-friendly clothing.
Many stores also have special vintage clothing that is guaranteed to stay fresh and beautiful after years of use.
3. Find a new hobby
Whenever you reach out for your credit or debit card to complete a shopping transaction, pull your hand away and find something else to do.
Ask yourself if you really need that shiny pair of boots when you already have so many lying around.
Even though making yourself feel guilty isn’t the ideal solution, it does help with curbing your shopping spree.
Write down a list of things that you can buy instead of spending that amount on an unnecessary item.
Or keep your phone in a different place and start working on a new task, such as cleaning the kitchen or curling up with a good book. Chances are, you’ll feel much better after taking up a new hobby.
4. Track your spending habits
Are you really sure of the amount of money that you’re actually spending every week or month?
Most shoppers know only an approximate figure and not the actual one. If you don’t keep track of your daily income and expenditure, you’ll fall prey to compulsive shopping.
You must start keeping track of all these expenses so that you can eliminate the unnecessary ones.
If you wish to do it in the old-school method, take a notebook and pen and start jotting down every item you buy weekly.
Or you can save a bit of time and install a money-tracking app that alerts you whenever you’re about to overspend.
5. Purchase using only cash
Yes, the amount you spend will always be the same, irrespective of the payment method. It doesn’t make a huge change, but there’s a trick behind this one!
Most compulsive shoppers become conscious about what they spend when giving away cash. This is because they feel like they have actually paid the money.
However, paying through cards or net banking doesn’t really give them that feeling. So, the mindless shopping spree continues via online payment interfaces.
So, follow the only-cash method, as it will make you more aware of your budget.
You must also focus when you usually go overboard. For example, if you especially go overboard while buying clothes or beauty products, set only-cash payment methods for that.
But if you can be under control for other kinds of products, you can use online payment options.
Moreover, you can separate your money into envelopes like necessities, savings, and luxuries to force yourself within a limited spending amount.
Over to you…
If you take these small steps mindfully and stick to your goals, you’ll notice positive results quickly. And even if you do fall back once or twice, remember to be kind to yourself!
