The need to shop can have psychological causes. Learn to recognize them and get rid of this expensive vice.
Shopping they are often triggered by external circumstances - a bad day at work, boredom, excitement, disappointment... If you are also one of these "psychological spendthrifts", then you surely know that you will buy something before you even step into the store. That's how shopping is can be fatal to your checking account, in addition, you will accumulate things at home that you do not really need.
These are the most common psychological triggers, which lead us to make unnecessary purchases.
Shopping addiction
Anyone who runs regularly can become addicted to running. After running itself, dopamine is released in the body, which makes us feel very good. We can become addicted to that good feeling that comes from the dopamine surge. And the same thing happens with shopping.
This is also confirmed by the statistics obtained from Harris Interactive. As many as 31 percent of women claimed they shopped to lift their spirits, while 3 percent of people shopped to celebrate something.
THE SOLUTION
Better find somewhere else to raise the level of dopamine and endorphins. Yoga, walking the dog, spending quality time with friends and reading a good book are definitely better and cheaper ways to help you feel better.
Competitiveness
The phenomenon of Black Friday sales has conquered the whole world. This holiday of shopping is actually about provoking competitive human nature. When you are faced with the fact that you can buy something very cheap, but the quantity of these products is limited, the competitive spirit is activated in you - your brain tells you that you have to be there because you have to win.
THE SOLUTION
Realize that shopping is not a competition. There are no losers and winners. The biggest winner is really the one who buys only what he needs.
The idea of saving
Actions that speak to consumers “Save 50 %” they are the oldest advertising gimmick. When you save something, you feel good about it, but you still spent something, maybe on something you don't even need.
THE SOLUTION
Realize that whenever you buy something, you never save money, you always spend it. If you want to save, you need a savings account, not a store account.
Shopping therapy
Anger, sadness, fatigue, boredom... all these emotions can be alleviated very quickly if we buy something. According to Harris Interactive, one in four people go shopping purely for therapeutic reasons.
THE SOLUTION
It is true that shopping releases dopamine, but this solution is short-lived. Instead of going to the shops, go for coffee with friends, write in a journal, or go to a psychologist.
Recognized value
Sellers use a whole range of tricks to trick you into buying from them. One of these tricks is also how they display the value of the goods.
Ron Johnson, the CEO of JCPenney department store, introduced the fake price trick in 2012: they started setting prices so that they ended with the number 0.99. Instead of 20 euros, they wrote down 19.99 euros. Psychologically, we perceive this price as lower, which in reality is not the case. However, consumers did not fall for this trick and sales therefore did not improve. Johnson lost his job, and prices were showing normal again.
THE SOLUTION
Always pay attention to getting the best bang for your buck. However, with discounted items, always ask yourself whether you would buy it even if the price wasn't reduced.
Boredom and free time
One of the most common psychological triggers is boredom. Shopping out of boredom is a very common phenomenon, but an otherwise pleasant task can, of course, have a very unpleasant effect on our financial situation.
THE SOLUTION
Find other ways to spend quality (and not wasteful) free time. There are certainly infinitely more pleasant activities than shopping: watching movies, series, going to the theater, a concert, a new restaurant...
Panic buying
Rush sales, which are very popular with sellers, are really just exploiting your sense of panic. Therefore, avoid quick, time-limited actions as much as possible.
THE SOLUTION
Unsubscribe from all newsletters and receiving messages from various merchants. In this way, you will avoid such triggers that force you to make unnecessary purchases on a daily basis.
