text: Can you reduce impulse buying? Yes, here's how. - INSIDER
  A new study says you'll spend over $5,000 on useless things each year — here's how to restrain yourself
  Feb. 27, 2018, 2:07 PM
  Impulse spending can lead to waste, overspending, and debt. But there are ways to avoid it.
  A recent survey found that Americans spend $5,400 per year on impulse buys.
  Most of the respondents — about 70 percent — said food was their biggest spontaneous buy.
  A financial psychologist and a personal finance author spoke to INSIDER about resisting the urge to splurge.
  Satisfying that chocolate craving or buying that top you "just couldn't resist" could be setting you back more than you think: $5,400 a year to be exact.
  According to a recent Slickdeals.net survey, which asked 2,000 Americans about their spending habits, the average person spends $450 a month on impulse buys: That adds up to about $5,400 per year, and about $324,000 over the span of a lifetime.
  Ted Klontz, a financial psychologist and consultant, said this number is so high because shoppers are often enticed by the calculated tricks of retailers.
  "They are seduced without knowing it by retailers who know the best way to get people to do what they want them to do: spend more," Klontz told INSIDER. "It is like walking down a carnival midway — the games are all rigged against them and for the retailer."
  These impulse buys can lead to waste, overspending, and accumulating debt, he said.
  Stefanie O'Connell, author of "The Broke and Beautiful Life" and a financial advisor who helps millennials manage their money, said these purchases can also prevent you from reaching long-term goals.
  "These short-term impulse buys can mean missing out on the things we really want to achieve big-picture [like] buying a house, taking a vacation, or starting a family," O'Connell told INSIDER.
  But not all hope is lost. O'Connell and Klontz shared their ways to curb the impulse to spend thoughtlessly.
  Klontz said that shoppers should be aware of the specific tactics retailers use to entice them to drop more cash.
  "For example, in a grocery store, separating the staple foods from each other (milk, meat, bread, vegetables) so that the consumer has to walk down the widest aisles with all the highest-profit items there," Klontz told INSIDER.
  Other common strategies include putting out free samples, using the word "sale," offering buy-one-get-one half-price promotions, and even misting vegetables to make them look fresher and more tempting. Stores will also put the cheapest items in the most hard-to-reach places and tantalize shoppers with the smells of fresh bread and roasted chickens: tactics specifically designed to trigger the impulse buyer, Klontz said.
  "If consumers know these tricks they are less likely to fall for them," he said. "But most have no idea."
  Don't fall for the tricks retailers use to tantalize shoppers.
  Making a shopping list is an easy way to help you keep your priorities straight.
  "If you have to make a trip to Target, make a list and stay laser-focused on it," O'Connell said. "Better yet, use your list to search each item online and have it delivered straight to your doorstep. No walking through aisles of temptation or aimless internet browsing."
  Use technology to hold yourself accountable.
  Technology can help you stay on track and keep your overall financial picture in mind.
  "An app that tracks your spending can offer accountability for your budget," O'Connell said. "In that moment of purchase temptation, you can quickly check-in on your smartphone to assess whether the spending you're considering is going to bring you closer to or push you further away from what you really want to achieve."
  One of the most well-rated budgeting apps is Mint, which can help you create a budget, manage your bills, alert you when you're overspending and even check your credit score.
  Take a day to think it over.
  O'Connell recommends instituting what she calls a "24-Hour Hold Policy" on all purchases.
  "If you can tear yourself away from that 'in the moment' urge to buy, you may be surprised at how quickly the temptation fades away," she said.
  Most of the time, the urge to buy the item that feels like a must-have will fade quickly.
  "The key is to hold off on pulling the purchase trigger until you've had the time and space to make that assessment," O'Connell said.
  Be conscious of how your mood affects your urge to shop.
  Flickr / John Goodman Fanclub Spain
  Be aware of your mood.
  Retail therapy is a real problem.
  "Spending or shopping for some is a mood elevator or a distractor, and as such can be an expensive fix," Klontz said. "Talk with a friend instead."
  Avoid shopping with people who will encourage you to spend more
  If you know you're feeling susceptible to questionable spending choices, it's best not to hang out with people who encourage you or who are similarly prone to spontaneous purchases.
  "During times of high emotional energy, avoid going out with people who also use money to manage feelings," Klontz said. Instead, try relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation or walking in nature.
  It may be a pain to remember to visit the ATM before a shopping trip, but doing so can help you spend less.
  "Using credit cards triggers the pleasure center," Klontz said. "Using cash triggers the pain centers and people spend less. Swiping a credit card result in about a 30 percent 'lift' (that's what the companies who promote credit cards call the average increase in spending) increase in spending."
  If you don't even have to swipe a card, like with the newer mobile payment systems used at Walmart, Apple, and other stores, it will be even easier to spend money impulsively, Klontz added.
  "Use crisp, new money and you will spend less," he said.
  Keep your big-picture goals front and center.
  "Managing our money effectively is all about making financial decisions in the day-to-day that are in alignment with the big picture lifestyle we want to live," O'Connell said. "The problem is it's easy to lose touch with that big picture when it exists only in your imagination."
  To remind yourself of your goals and priorities, O'Connell recommends creating tangible reminders, such as setting an image of your dream home as your desktop background if you're saving up for a down payment.
  "Whatever resonates with you and motivates you to save, make it visual and put that reminder someplace where you have to check-in with it regularly, particularly in moments of temptation," she said.