I’m sharing 5 shopping habits that will help prevent you from overspending on your wardrobe. Most of the time, we spend endless hours online shopping or aimlessly wandering the malls and shops, just because we’re bored or get excited about new things.
However, by doing that, we spend way more than we want to on things we don’t even need. Does that sound familiar? That was definitely me until recently. Yeah, it took me multiple carloads of clothes that still had price tags on them for me to really understand what I was doing. I probably spent over $10k on clothes and shoes that I never wore. Just thinking about that gives me a pit in my stomach.
So, I decided (and I’m still working on it) to change my shopping habits. It’s not easy, but honestly, I think about how much money I’ve spent and how much I consumed to have it all wasted; well, that is enough to make anyone change their behaviors.
So here are some of the top tips that I’m doing to improve my shopping habits.
Shopping Habits
1. Make A List Of What You Need
Take an assessment of your wardrobe and figure out what’s missing. And don’t just list things because you want them. Make sure that they actually fit your lifestyle. For example, if you work from home, dress slack and pumps might not be in your best interest.
Order the list in order of priority; which item do you need first. When shopping, always stick to your list. You can add items to your list and reorder as needed. However, this list should get shorter over time as you build your wardrobe.
2. Create A Clothing Budget
Create a monthly clothing budget for yourself. You MUST take a look at your overall spending and income to determine what you can actually spend on your wardrobe. Your wardrobe should not put you in the red for the month. If a month is too short, you could come up with a quarterly or yearly budget.
3. Shop Your Closet
First and foremost, always shop your closet. You very well could have pieces in your closet that you have forgotten about or that need new life brought back into them. Try finding pieces that you can mix and match, so they look like completely different outfits.
For examples of how to style your clothes in multiple ways, you can find inspiration >>here<<.
4. Unsubscribe & Turn Off Notifications
To avoid impulse purchases and flashy sales, turn off notifications from your favorite stores, and unsubscribe to their emails. I know, this sounds horrifying. You’re thinking, “but how will I know if there’s a good sale going on?” You should only be shopping from your list and researching the best quality item you can get.
Trust me, you’ll have FOMO for a hot minute, and then after a time, you’ll forget that you even tuned the out. Plus, it will be far less noise in your life, and we could all use some of that.
5. Wait 48 Hours Before You Buy
Before you hit that “purchase” button, wait 48 hours. This habit is the last line of defense for your impulse shopping. Sit on your purchase for a few days. Do you really need this, or is this just something that you want? Is it on your list, or you just entranced by its beauty?
I know what you’re thinking, “what if it’s sold out by then?” Well, then it wasn’t meant to be in your closet. It’s that kind of thinking that has gotten you into the overspending habit in the first place.
Closing Statement
This list of shopping habits is mainly, so you don’t overspend on your wardrobe, but it can be applied to multiple areas of your spending. I hope this shortlist of positive and healthy habits helps you manage your budget a bit better in the future. Let me know in the comments if you have any tips or if you want any advice on improving your shopping behaviors.
Any of the brands mentioned above does not sponsor this article. However, some of the links may contain affiliate links which may generate revenue for the site when clicked, or when a purchase occurs. The information in this post is my thoughts and preferences.
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