Saving Money #3: Impulse buys

How to not buy more shoes: Stop going where shoes live, little girl!

The end.

Actually, it's more of a 'if you know you have a hard time resisting something, don't go where you can aquire it unless you intend to buy them, because you will.' Invariably there will be a good deal that you cannot resist and you will find yourself purchasing more shoes, stereo equipment, motorcycles, handbags, makeup....whatever. If you stay away from it and don't give yourself access, you won't find the deals and therefore feel compelled to get whatever it is. In this consumer-driven world, there is always a good deal to be found that if you wait you'll find again, I promise.

Now, to save yourself from picking up that one little extra thing each time you go to Target for laundry soap, just don't go into any other aisles. Don't browse, don't linger. Do what you need to and get out! There is so much marketing intel that goes into the layout of stores as well as the displays, you really just don't have a chance. Wonder why the milk is always way in the back of the grocery? Well of course because then you have to go past everything else to get there and just *have* to have that bag of potato chips or cookies. Same deal just a little more sneaky elsewhere.

Again, you need to think in the macro. Does it matter that you spent another extra $15 dollars on that eyeshadow you just had to have? Not particularly as a one-off. But when you add it up over the year and you do something like that every other week...it adds up. So think about it as it's drawn out amount. Eyeshadow every 2 weeks...$390 a year. Starbuck's twice a week...$520. Crazy deal on Vera Wang display shoes twice a month..$360. Extra adult beverage when you really only needed 1 with dinner, once a week...$520. Already there we have a ticket to Bali, wouldn't that be better?