We’ve all been there- we pop out of the office at lunch and the lure of a new pair of shoes or CD proves too much and we come back to the office with a new purchase, or after a stressful day we hand over the plastic and are perked up by a new purchase.
But we all know the pleasure those items give us is quickly dented, when the credit bill arrives or we check our bank account and are confronted with high overdraft fees. Then to cheer ourselves up we may even head back to the shops and spend even more.
A recent VitalSmarts study saw children being told they could earn some money and were asked how much they wanted to save and how much they were going to spend. They were then introduced into what VitalSmarts described as an impulse rich environment, with bright advertising posters, and samples of different sweets
The children were allowed to buy things, with the amount deducted from the money they were going to earn to recreate the scenario of buying on credit.
Before the study most children wanted to save around 87% of the money, but once they were confronted with the buying environment and the offers and samples that went with it, the average amount they were left to save was around 32%.
The deficit between what the children intended to save and what they actually saved echoes the pattern many adults follow. Often we will set a budget with all intentions of sticking to it, but once we get out there into the shops we are easily encouraged to buy, by the latest hot offers, buy on get one free offers and the general shopping environment, we just want to buy!
The best way to stop this impulsive pattern is to avoid the shops altogether- but clearly this is completely impractical as there are necessities that must be bought. A more sustainable tactic is to drag a friend along with you to act as your conscience and remind you of your budget. Make sure you choose the right friend and explain to them what your budget is and why it’s important you stick to it.
Another good tip is to give yourself rewards now and then. If you go cold turkey on personal treats then you’re likely to become irritated and go for a big all out splurge, whereas if you allow yourself a small treat now and then as part of your planned budget then your much more likely to stick to your saving goal.
Learn more about a debt advice agency. Stop by The Debt Advisor’s site where you can get online help with debt
