I have never been an impulsive person. However, those strategically displayed impulse strips and beautifully curated endcaps can catch even the most diligent of us off guard. I have been known to impulse buy occasionally, but I have recently learned some great ways to stop the impulsivity and maintain control even while browsing clearance racks and Black Friday sales. So, here are my top 10 tips to stop impulse buying.

1. Utilize Curbside Pickup or Delivery Orders

Although Covid mainly brought sorrow and despair, it also brought one definite positive - curbside pickup and delivery options. Everywhere from grocery stores to fast food restaurants to mass merchandisers now offer curbside pickup and/or delivery options. I regularly order groceries from Walmart using curbside pickup. They don't deliver to my house out in the boondocks. I save money because I know exactly how much I am spending as I shop online, and I don't run across random items that aren't on my list. It also saves me a lot of time and stress, so it's a win-win-win-win.

2. Unsubscribe from Sale E-mails

People earn degrees in marketing, and they are usually really good at their jobs. We often sign up for e-mails and/or texts from companies just to get a 10-15% off coupon. Soon after, we start getting bombarded by e-mails shouting clearance, sales, deals, etc. Even when we don't need anything, it can be difficult to pass up these great deals. If we unsubscribe from these e-mails, we won't be tempted to search for these deals and can instead only purchase the items we actually need when we need them.

3. Only Open Sale E-mails when you Need to Purchase Something

If you do choose to stay subscribed to e-mails from your favorite stores, be intentional about when and when not to open them. I learned a long time ago that Kohl's e-mails offering me 15% or 20% off weren't for my benefit but for the company's. They don't care about saving me money. They care about making money. When I receive sale e-mails from businesses I sometimes purchase from, I do not open them unless there is something I need from there. For example, I mainly buy blouses for myself or boots for my daughter from Kohl's. If she doesn't need boots and I don't need a new blouse, I don't even open the e-mail. If I do, I will inevitably start searching the Kohl's website attempting to find something I "need" just to save that small percentage of money. Most likely, I don't need it or I would have already purchased it. If I open the e-mail, I will likely end up buying something I don't need and waste a lot of time searching for it too.

4. Make a List, and Stick to the List

I have long been an avid list maker, but I don't do it just to waste time. There is a reason why there are so many pretty pens and list pads in stores. Lists are extremely helpful. When you bring a list to the store, whether that's a paper list or a note on your phone, it keeps you accountable to what you actually need and don't need. Challenge yourself to only buy the items on your list for one month to see how much money you save. You might be surprised by how many impulse buys you make when you aren't really thinking about it.

5. Don't Buy Something Unless You Plan for It

If you see something that you think you want at a store but haven't been planning on purchasing it, take a day or two to think about it. If you impulse buy, there's a chance you'll regret it. When possible, I like to take at least a few days to think about it before I make any purchases so I am always doing what I think is best with my money.

6. Set a Budget

Setting a budget doesn't have to be a buzzkill. You can make room in your budget for personal spending. Then, you won't ever need to feel guilty for purchasing something you want within that budget category. I absolutely love using the EveryDollar App from Ramsey Solutions. It provides such amazing tools for creating and maintaining a budget. My favorite part is that I can work on my budget on the computer or on my phone. Even better is that the app can be downloaded on multiple devices, so my husband and I can see what transactions are being made on each of our personal devices. I highly recommend checking out this FREE service if you don't already have a good budget tool in place.

7. Don't Shop for Groceries When You're Really Hungry

I've often heard you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're hungry, and that is so true. I once went to the grocery store feeling very famished and ended up buying a lot of junk food that never should have made it into my home. In short, everything looked good to my hungry stomach. I've also noticed that when I am overly full and go to the store, I feel nauseous even looking at the food and end up going home without anything but a loaf of bread and some soda. That's not too helpful when the kids want dinner. It's best to plan your grocery trips after eating a small meal or snack so your hunger or fullness doesn't get in the way of making appropriate purchasing decisions.

8. Don't Buy Items for Just in Case

I grew up with extremely frugal parents, and for that I am so grateful. I too am frugal, but I have had to make some adjustments to my level of frugality over the years. Just because beach towels are on sale doesn't mean I should buy them if my beach towels are fine. Is there a possibility I will need new beach towels in 5 years? Sure. But is it really worth the time and energy to purchase them, store them, remember that I have them, and pull them out five years later while hoping they haven't turned yellow or musty? I think not. There's no point in buying something just in case you need it. With 1-day Amazon shipping and a Dollar General around every road curve, you're sure to be able to get what you need when you actually need it.

9. Regularly Plan a No-Spend Month

If you need to cut back drastically on impulse purchases, try instituting a no-spend month. This doesn't mean you'll be running around homeless and hungry. You will still pay necessary costs - electricity, groceries, gas, etc. However, you won't be purchasing any extras - takeout, movie tickets, cute shoes, new purses, etc. You only buy items that are necessary. If you're worried about doing it for a whole month, you can always try doing it for one week to see how it goes. You might find the motivation to keep going by considering how much money you save in just seven days!

10. Unfollow Tempting Social Media

In a world of social media and technology at every turn, we are constantly being marketed to. We can't read the news or check Facebook without coming across advertisements or influencers trying to sell us something. There's not a lot we can do about the advertisements. However, we can unfollow the influencers who are constantly encouraging us to buy, buy, buy. Often, the items they are promoting aren't things we need anyway. Most of us have more than enough clothing, shoes, and beauty products. However, it can be hard to resist our favorite influencer's Amazon finds. If you don't want to unfollow them, that's okay. Just try to be very intentional about making impulse purchases, and utilize some of the other strategies above.

In a world where money is tight and ads roam free, we must stay intentional if we want to avoid making impulse purchases regularly. Good luck on your journey to better financial health. I'm cheering you on!