Avoiding Impulse Shopping

When visiting a mall, there is one thing that makes me want to spend, spend, spend! That is the sight of another shopper with lots of lovely designer store bags in her arms.

I do not know what she has bought. I just see the bags and feel like a small child again, whose brother or sister seem to have more presents at Christmas. That shopper might have bought tons of useless stuff. She may well return all her purchases tomorrow. But there I am, overwhelmed with envy. There is no doubt that I am very influenced by store packaging.

What is the answer? I force myself, whenever I am tempted to spend money, to imagine taking the purchases home in any old bag. This has stopped me from making many emotional purchases.

By Julia in UK