This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
Impulse buys will destroy you financially
How much of the stuff you own were planned purchases?
If any of your purchases were unplanned, how much money do you estimate is wrapped up in all your impulse buys?
Some people could buy new cars and houses, fully fund their retirement accounts, or pay for a college education with all the impulse buys over the years.
Some people plan all their purchases; for the average consumer, only a few purchases are planned.
Advertisements don’t make it any easier on us.
There is always new stuff coming out that is attempting to lure us into buying something else. And if we don’t see it on TV, we see it on or in our neighbors’, friends, or families’ possession.
Whenever I see something I desire to buy, I remind myself that I wasn’t thinking about it (or even knew it existed before I saw it). Now and then, I run into the perfect item I’ve been seeking.
An example was a green coat I found on my travels. Years prior, I bypassed a green coat and regretted it. I finally found one year later, which was even better than the first one. But even then, I still had to receive encouragement from my shopping partner to purchase because it wasn’t in the plan.
The 48 Hour Rule
I learned the 48-hour rule early on.
When you see something you like, wait at least 48 hours to make the purchase, and here’s why:
After 48 hours, you’ll likely not want to make the purchase or forget about it altogether.
I’ve probably taken this rule too many steps further because 48 hours will turn into years of debate. But if you’re unwilling to wait that long (obviously, this is an abnormal time to consider a purchase), take the 48 rule a step further and try a week.
The longer you delay a purchase, the less powerful or the more powerful the desire can become.
It’s interesting to learn which impulse buys you won’t forget about and which you’ll forget about immediately.
Much of the stuff we buy is via impulse. We weren’t necessarily thinking about buying it until we saw it for the first time.
According to Fit Small Business, “In a 2022 annual survey commissioned by Slickdeals, 73% of respondents said that most of their buying is unplanned.”
Be wary that most purchases you delay, you won’t ever think about again.
Keep Your Impulse Buys As Low As Possible
I regularly practice and continue to work on keeping my impulse buys low.
I don’t believe in window shopping; I only shop when I’m interested in buying a particular item.
I don’t go to malls for fun.
I keep shopping apps hidden away and hard to access on my phone.
I try to do most of my shopping all at once – especially grocery shopping (this is prime time for impulse buys).
Amazon, doordash, and every other shopping app aren’t taking all my money.
And while we’re on Amazon, if I don’t use something, I take it back and get a refund because I don’t believe in being wasteful – especially with resources.
Before you buy something, decide to delay the purchase.
Practice waiting 48 hours, and remember the longer you can wait to make the purchase, the more you decrease your desire for the purchase, which only ends up saving you money in the long run.
The less money you spend, the more you free up to spend intentionally or invest – creating more wealth.
This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.