Have you ever been shopping and saw a dress that you just knew you had to buy? Bought a new pair of shoes because of a deal too good to pass up? Impulsively grabbed a candy bar or magazine at the checkout counter? We’ve all been there. Sometimes, your brain just tells you “yes,” but your bank account may very well be telling you “no!” Let’s look at some things that you can do to stop yourself from making these types of purchases that you really want, but really don’t need.

1. Create a budget

The first step to any meaningful change in your spending is always creating a budget. This is the quickest way to stop yourself from buying something that you don’t have the money for. When you create a budget, you are accounting for all of your income and expenses each month, including retirement and savings that you are setting aside for future financial independence. After everything has been accounted for, the money you have left over is discretionary income, or income that you can spend on the non-essential items.

2. Don’t window shop

Unless you are in the market to buy a specific item, such as a new pair of shoes, don’t shop for it. Whether it is actually going to the store and browsing or looking online, the more time you spend thinking about getting those shoes, the more likely you are to actually purchase them. You’ve heard the saying, “out of sight, out of mind,” and it definitely applies to unnecessary purchases.

3. Give yourself an allowance

It may sound silly but it can help you keep impulse spending in check. If you allow yourself $100 per month for non-essential items, and you decide you want a new pair of shoes that costs $120, unless you have saved up some of your fun money from the previous month, you aren’t going to have enough money. Knowing that you have that limit in place will make your decision much easier—and allow you to resist the urge to buy something that is not a budgeted, planned purchase. Setting a limit for yourself will discourage you from using credit, without forcing you to give up on “fun” buys entirely.

4. Don’t get sucked in by a sale

Everyone loves a good sale, right? But buying something on sale is only a good deal if you actually need that item. If it’s not a necessary item, buying something on sale probably cost you more money than you actually should have spent. For example, buying a new swimsuit at the end of the season when they on clearance is a good deal, but if you already have two swimsuits, then buying another one—even on sale—is probably not money well spent.

5. Set a goal

Keep your eyes on the prize. Perhaps you have made it your goal to save up for the down payment on a new home, or even take your family on a dream vacation. When you have a goal and a purpose, it is much easier to stop yourself from spending money unnecessarily because every time you do, you know that you are pushing your dream further and further away. For added motivation, you can even keep something that represents that goal in your wallet, so that you are reminded of it every time you make a purchase.

6. Make time to volunteer

It’s easy to become so blinded by unfulfilled wants that you can’t see all the fulfilled wants and needs in your life. Nothing reminds you of just how lucky you are than to see those who are actually in need. According to a recent study from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, there are 1,750,000 homeless people in the U.S.; 31 million Americans live in hunger or on the edge of hunger; 12 million children are living below the poverty level in the U.S. in 2017. Find a cause close to your heart, and then find out where you can volunteer to support that cause. Volunteerism benefits your community, can improve your mental and physical health, and gives some much-needed perspective on the difference between “need” and “want.”

At the end of the day, there’s nothing inherently wrong with impulse purchases. The important thing is to make sure that your long-term plans are still in good order. By finding a strategy that works for you, like those outlined here, you can indulge a little now without borrowing from your future happiness – because that’s what your long-term savings protect.

Katie Moore, CDFA, a Financial Planner and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst with Finivi is passionate about empowering savvy independent women, and women in transition due to a divorce, the death of a spouse, a career change, or other significant life event to expand their knowledge and build their confidence regarding money and investing.

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