Resisting temptation

baggins11

One thing I watch for is making sure I don't buy something for the discount. I am a bargain hunter so I sometimes get sucked into buying things just because they are a bargain. So ask yourself if an item was £30 reduced to £7 would you still love the item as much if you saw it at £7 full price? Sometimes the thing suddenly loses its appeal!

Another thing I used to do years ago when money was tight and we had our first house was factor in the cost of borrowing. So for example that £7 item might cost you £12 over the lifetime of your mortgage so is it worth £12 to you?  Bit different now mortgage rates are lower but it has prevented me from buying some silly stuff over the years.

FluffyBabyPenguin

Many companies make their money off impulse buyers and what's known as FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). It's quite unlikely that whatever you see advertised will be sorely missed by yourself. So make yourself wait at least 24 hours before reevaluating whether you still want it. By then, the enthusiasm will often be gone. My ebay basket is full of stuff I've added and not gone back to.

In the heat of the moment, I take a little ancient advice from an old book and mutter "Get away from me, Satan!" which is usually enough to remind me that it is temptation I am supposed to be resisting. 

Sandtree

flipflopflo said:

Another way is to visualise how many hours work you would need to do to pay for the item, that’s your take home wage after tax etc. 

so for example if you earned £10 an hour after taxes etc. and the food mixer you covet is £100. Then you would have to work 10 hours to pay for it. Is it worth a day and a bit of your labour?

I am always in two minds on this sort of idea and if it should not also consider the monies for rent/mortgage etc.

I could fairly easily say that I spend more than 10 hours chopping a month and therefore seems a no brainer to spend 10 hours reducing that to near zero and so payback by month two. I can then do the same for that £100 three other things and suddenly I've justified spending 40 hours worth of works money this week and no way of paying this weeks rent etc. 

If you dont dislike your job then thinking of it of X hours of your life may not be that much of a demotivator 

London_1

I had to buy a new microwave at Christmas, and since it was delivered I get lots of ads fro AO for stuff I really neither need nor want. I just delete them as I am sure I really don't need a 350 quid coffee maching when my 15 pound one from Wilkos bought about four years ago does the job for me It makes me a nice cup of coffee which is all I need I also dont need or want a 600 pound fridge freezer that will store virtually half a cow when there is only me to eat from it So far this year and we are almost half way through the month I haven't been to a food shop or any other shop to buy anything as I am eating from the cupboards and freezer so I am being strong and keeping my old black purse firmly shut :0  

joedenise

I assume you're getting the ads on Facebook Jackie; if so then click on the three dots in top right corner and click on Unfollow or stop seeing adverts from this co - depends on the ad which comes up!

kippers

I turn it into a challenge to see how little money i can spend….i get disappointed when i have to buy something now 🤣🤣🤣

Rosa_Damascena

FluffyBabyPenguin said:

In the heat of the moment, I take a little ancient advice from an old book and mutter "Get away from me, Satan!" which is usually enough to remind me that it is temptation I am supposed to be resisting. 

I love this!! 

Wraithlady

joedenise said:

I assume you're getting the ads on Facebook Jackie; if so then click on the three dots in top right corner and click on Unfollow or stop seeing adverts from this co - depends on the ad which comes up!

Unfortunately you just get other adverts from similar companies - FB are determined you will pay your way!

I tend to either have a blitz on removing all adverts for a day or two, or just scroll past them

maman

Try keeping a hand written spending diary, writing down every penny you spend. Review it regularly, daily to begin with. I've found this shows up things that are definitely wants or whims or just plain wastes of money. The accountability can stop you spending as you don't want to write it down. Worth a try. 🤔

LameWolf

I don't use social media such as Facebook or Instagram, so those aren't an issue. Re tv ads, we record every programme we intend watching, and fast-forward through all the ads, so I don't see those either. Any "newsletters" from companies I've bought from that land in my email inbox are opened for long enough for me to scroll straight to the bottom and unsubscribe, then deleted unread.

I'm the type of person who loathes parting with money to begin with, so maybe I find it easier resisting than some.