Taming the Family Budget - 10 Ways to Avoid Impulse Purchases

By Tim Gamble

Need help taming the family budget? We tend to dismiss small purchases as being insignificant - its only a couple of bucks, after all - but when we make a lot of small purchases, those couple of bucks add up to hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars, over time. A good way to tame the family budget is to avoid all those small impulse purchases that add up a lot faster than we realize. 

10 Ways to Avoid Impulse Purchases:

1. Plan ahead. Bring a snack from home instead of hitting the vending machine.
2. Shop only with lists, and stick to them.
3. Don't pay attention to TV, radio, or print ads. Hit the mute button. or simply don't watch or read the ads.
4. Don't watch infomercials or home shopping channels. Marketing is a multi-billion dollar science designed to separate you and your money. 
5. Leave junk mail unopened. Recycle catalogs, fliers, and leaflets unread.
6. Don't use shopping as a form of entertainment or a means to relax. Don't go to the mall or shopping center just to have something to do.
7. Avoid social shopping with friends. People tend to talk each other into things, not out of them.
8.  Don't browse Amazon, eBay, or other Internet sites. Shop them the same way you would a physical store - with a list.
9. Shop with cash only (while you can) at brick-and-mortar stores. Spending cash feels more real than using checks or credit cards, so you are apt to spend less.
10. If you do find an item not on your list that you think you can't do without, wait at least 24 hours before buying it. Chances are the impulse will pass.

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If you’re looking for practical information to answer all your “How?” “What?” and “Why?” questions about money and personal finance, this is the book is for you. Dave Ramsey’s Complete Guide to Money covers the A to Z of Dave’s money teaching, including how to budget, save, dump debt, and invest. You’ll also learn all about insurance, mortgage options, marketing, bargain hunting and the most important element of all―giving.

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