How is it possible I go to a clothes store and just stick to my budget? I mean, I may have promised myself not to go beyond the budget but how do I just say no to those beautiful clothes, shoes, or accessories?
Shopping can be exceedingly difficult especially for women who love trendy things. “Wow this bag is nice. I should have one”, “Oh my God look at those shoes! I can’t let that go”, that’s how your account gets drained till you have nothing left to do other things.
Most ladies often vow not to shop more than their income but after a few weeks they are back to the habit – shopping more than their income. I used to be in this category, but I changed.
So, I’ll be dropping few things to note if you don’t want to spend more than your income.
- Separate your needs from your wants
Most ladies who shop more than their income end up buying things they don’t even need now or things they can do without. If you really don’t want to spend too much during this time, I’ll suggest you take note of your needs.
- Have a list
This keeps you in check from overspending and from impulse buying. Have a list of things you want to buy. I’ll rather advice you put your needs first instead of the wants. You compare with your budget (how much you are willing to spend on shopping) and if the ‘wants’ can still fit in, you can then add them to the list.
- Always pay in cash
Avoid paying with ATM cards if you want to stay on a budget. I know we are in a cashless society, but you may want to consider this for the moment, at least till you get used to the budget thing. When you pay with your ATM cards, you tend to overspend and shop unnecessarily. With cash, you can simply drop the ones you don’t need and pay for the ones your money can afford at that moment.
- Know your price target
Know your budget and plan accordingly. Know how much you want to spend on let’s say shoes and nothing should make you exceed that projected cost.
- You can make use of a shopping buddy
This shouldn’t be your friend who likes to shop as much as you do. If you do this, you guys will just end up spending more than you expected. You need someone who is more discipline and not interested in shopping at that moment so he/she can caution you when you overspend.