Tips For Avoiding Holiday Impulse Buying

The holiday season is upon us and one of the biggest pitfalls to blowing our budgets is impulse spending! On this episode we explore how stores, whether in person or online, prey upon our tendency make impulsive purchases and what we can do avoid these traps and not overspend!

• Debt Free Christmas Planner- Every year you have the best intentions about controlling your holiday spending and every year you forget something. That’s why Jen made this FREE Christmas planner to help you  record every cost and stay on budget this holiday season. This planner will help you keep track of your spending on family traditions, recipes, dinners and parties, gifts and more to make sure you don’t miss anything. Then use the 2021 planning chart to make sure you’re on track to saving the right amount next year! If this sounds like something you need head to frugalfriendspodcast.com/holiday to get your free planner.
• 2021 - Looking for a year that won’t that won’t bring you widespread panic and global chaos? Try 2021. The holidays signal the end of the year. They actually feel like a year unto themselves so that means 2021 is just around the corner. We hope that brings you joy. 2021, We can’t make any promises but it’s probably going to be better than 2020. Maybe.

• “impulse buying - not a pre-meditated purchase” 
  • Gamify shopping- don’t play the game, eliminate the temptation
• Give them a deal- stop buying things because they’re on sale!
• Emphasize self-care- find free ways to care for yourself
• Go beyond seasons greeting- businesses want to get more money out of you because it’s cheaper than finding a new customer.

• Understand why you buy
  • A.k.a. ‘Protect your vulnerabilities’ (nostalgia, clearance, desire to be the best aunt ever!)
• Shop alone - especially if swayed by your kids!
• Shop online - can help with distraction of other things (but keep the previous article and warnings in mind!)
• Translate price to hours worked - OOHHH I LOVE THIS ONE! Such a tangible way to determine if it’s worth your hard earned cash
• Lower your daily spending limit - this will put more checks and balances in place
• Don’t go hungry
• Use a prepaid card- gift card
• Walk around the store
• Freeze credit cards for the month
  • Icebox - every ‘buy button’ puts it on ice
• Don’t give everyone a gift!

• Jill- I have started a list already and have some inexpensive and thoughtful ideas; 1 perk of moving away is I can’t carry much with me when I visit people at the holidays!)
• Jen- I may indulge in Black Friday, Kai will get gifts from his birthday, everyone else will get gift cards.