5 Ways To Decrease Online Spending

Lately, I have been obsessing over material possessions consuming rather than creating. It could be because school and life is stressful and I use it as a coping mechanism (which is majority of the time the reason) or I actually want or let me paraphrase "need" those new shoes or play that new video game that was just released on the shelves. Yep, online shopping is a scary addiction and it can also highlight some of the insecurities we have on the inside such as fear of what other people will think of us or a heavy desire to fit in with everyone else. Nevertheless, shopping online is a waste of not only your money but also your time. Luckily, I have compiled some tips to help you break these addictions to get you back both your time and money. Let's start with...

1. Limiting the days you shop online

• Never shop online when you are studying for a big exam because you will impulse buy because studying is an act that requires enough of your willpower to do in itself and with the most challenging days coming you need all your willpower you can get. You will suffer decision fatigue if you keep impulse buying and not scheduling the time you search online. The feel good feelings of looking at things you shouldn't buy will constantly increase if you make shopping online a habit. 
• Steps: Shop only on specific days of the week or shop on holidays (bonus points if there are discounts given on the day of that holiday for the item you've been watching). Shop only on weekends to decrease the chances of a habit forming. Completely remove online shopping when studying for an exam. Use a web time tracker to analyze the amount of time you spend shopping online and probably add on a website blocker if needed.
• Benefits: You will get your time, money, and decision making skills back to make progress on your biggest goals for the year. Look at your New Years Resolution or current goals and ask yourself, "where would online shopping fit in all of this." Majority of the time it won't fit anywhere so focus on what you have right now and make the most of the possessions you have right now.

2. Find a purpose for each item you currently own

• If you can't give any sort of purpose to an item you own you risk losing out on important opportunities to make something useless useful and you turn it into a waste of time and money.

3. Ask yourself the question: "Will I need this item to survive tomorrow or the rest of the week?"

• If the answer to the question is "no" or worse a "hella no" then don't even make a decision on the purchase. Do not impulse buy and risk wasting more of your decision power.

4. Set a spending limit

• A lot of people would call this budgeting but for everyone else out door who want something simpler I call it not spending more than $50 in one day. If you are dropping $50+ each day and these items end up not being a need you must reconsider your habits and monitor your thoughts.

5. Create a different habit that will give you a similar rush

• If you can fold laundry and realize you are spending valuable time on that and eventually saving money by not spending the physical money you are trying to accrue then you are the winner. 

I hope you find something helpful here. I personally am someone who is guilty of being a large online spender besides being known as the most frugal in my family so it happens to even the best money savers. The point is to learn from your mistakes and realize when something is becoming an unhealthy addiction. Balance is key in just about everything so do your best and don't be too hard on yourself if things don't seem to be working out in the beginning.

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