Not Spending Money in Big Box Stores

So, the weekend went really well as the start of my No Spending Challenge! Over the course of my out of town weekend I spent less than $25. That $25 was my half of meals and my ticket to see the movie "Milk." (We went to the early Sunday matinee for only $5 a ticket.) As I have stated, my No Spending Challenge does not include what I would call "social spending." I am not out to alienate myself from my friends for a month or make them feel like they have to pay for me or what-have-you. My main goal in this challenge is to curb myself of my own unhealthy impulse purchases and to curb my unnecessary spending.

On Saturday my friend and I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond with the specific purpose of picking up a new pillow. I shop quite a bit differently than my friend and it was interesting to see the differences. When I go to a box store like Bed, Bath and Beyond I typically walk in with something in mind. In our instance, we were shopping for pillows, so, I would have gone straight to the pillow section. After I found the perfect pillow, I would have gone back to towards the cashiers, and that is where my impulse cravings might have kicked in. That's the time I would remember that I needed a new cheese knife... or maybe I should see if there were any candles on clearance... that sort of thing.

My friend shopped in a completely different way, and it was rather eye opening...

As soon as we walked in, a handy step stool was spotted - and almost purchased. Then it was to the first section on our right, where next thing I knew, we were looking for omelet pans. Then it was to the section across the aisle where we were looking at gadgets... a vegetable peeler... a lemon juicer... adorable measuring cups. I will give my friend credit, several times they stopped just before putting something in the cart and said "No, I do not need this." However, some things did end up accumulating in the cart.

As we wandered from section to section I saw a lot of very cool things, (including a knife rack I fell in love with), but I am very happy to say that I fell victim to none of them! It really hit me though, how dangerous for the checkbook aimless wandering is. Had it not been for my No Spending Challenge, I would have fallen prey to at least one, if not more, impulse buys. Finally at one point I actually said, "Okay, you know what? I think we need to get out of here." Since I tend to do my aimless wandering at the end after the shopping bug is already engaged, I don't think it ever hit me before how easily stores like that suck you in.

Here's another thing, the wandering induced unneeded buying. Yes, some of the purchases my friend made were handy, but we only had brought one coupon for the needed pillow. Therefor, every other item was full priced. On top of that, when we got home, we discovered my friend already had bought a vegetable peeler awhile ago and had forgotten about it. I have been in that very same situation many times! How easy it is when we are shopping to keep buying. It is like a glass of wine - once you start it is very easy to keep drinking; the first item in the cart enables more items.

The lessons I got from this trip were ones I knew, but with this challenge in mind, they really were hammered home:

1. Wandering is dangerous. Know what you are going for before you go in. Go to it, get it, get out. The likelihood is that if you don't already know you need something - you probably don't.

2. Stores want you to buy stuff, that's their job. So, they put the practical things you want behind lots of brightly colored interesting stuff you don't.

3. If you find yourself picking up things you don't need, it is time to get out the store.

4. Never pay full price if you can help it. If you really need it, come back another time with a coupon or when something is on sale. (It was killing me that I had a drawer full of 20% off coupons for Bed, Bath & Beyond at home!)

5. Shopping with a cart is frequently a bad idea. Had we not used a cart, we might have only been able to comfortably carry half (or less) of the items purchased, but carrying one pillow would have been easy.

6. Although some of what we bought were impulse purchases, my friend had the money set aside for spending, and paid cash. If you are going to do this kind of shopping that is the best way to go: have cash ready, be able to afford it, and know that you are splurging. I have absolutely no problems with splurging now and again under these conditions.

So what about you? What are your tricks for avoiding impulse buys in bug stores?


Photo by: dotpolka