New Study Sheds Light On Spending Habits
It's happened to us all- we nip out at lunch and end up coming back with a bag full of new clothes or a stash of new CDs or DVDs, or after a stressful week we hit the shops on a Saturday to cheer ourselves up.
But we all know the pleasure those items give us is quickly dented, when the credit bill arrives or we check our bank account and are confronted with high overdraft fees. Then to cheer ourselves up we may even head back to the shops and spend even more.
A recent VitalSmarts study saw children being told they could earn some money and were asked how much they wanted to save and how much they were going to spend. They were then introduced into what VitalSmarts described as an impulse rich environment, with bright advertising posters, and samples of different sweets
The children were allowed to buy things, with the amount deducted from the money they were going to earn to recreate the scenario of buying on credit.
87% was the amount of the money the children said they wanted to save when asked before they went in, but the average that was actually saved was 32%, showing the power of a buying environment and how impulse is a huge factor in the buying process.
The deficit between what the children intended to save and what they actually saved echoes the pattern many adults follow. Often we will set a budget with all intentions of sticking to it, but once we get out there into the shops we are easily encouraged to buy, by the latest hot offers, buy on get one free offers and the general shopping environment, we just want to buy!
Avoiding the shops at all costs is the best way to break the pattern, but this is something which most of us can't do, as there are necessities we need to purchase. A more realistic method is to take a friend shopping with you and instruct them to keep you within your budget. Choose a friend who won't get sidetracked and explain to them what your budget is and why it is important you stay within it.
Rewards are another great way of staying on the straight and narrow, as if you give yourself regular treats, which are planned into the budget then you don't feel as hard done by and our more likely to achieve your spending goals.
But we all know the pleasure those items give us is quickly dented, when the credit bill arrives or we check our bank account and are confronted with high overdraft fees. Then to cheer ourselves up we may even head back to the shops and spend even more.
A recent VitalSmarts study saw children being told they could earn some money and were asked how much they wanted to save and how much they were going to spend. They were then introduced into what VitalSmarts described as an impulse rich environment, with bright advertising posters, and samples of different sweets
The children were allowed to buy things, with the amount deducted from the money they were going to earn to recreate the scenario of buying on credit.
87% was the amount of the money the children said they wanted to save when asked before they went in, but the average that was actually saved was 32%, showing the power of a buying environment and how impulse is a huge factor in the buying process.
The deficit between what the children intended to save and what they actually saved echoes the pattern many adults follow. Often we will set a budget with all intentions of sticking to it, but once we get out there into the shops we are easily encouraged to buy, by the latest hot offers, buy on get one free offers and the general shopping environment, we just want to buy!
Avoiding the shops at all costs is the best way to break the pattern, but this is something which most of us can't do, as there are necessities we need to purchase. A more realistic method is to take a friend shopping with you and instruct them to keep you within your budget. Choose a friend who won't get sidetracked and explain to them what your budget is and why it is important you stay within it.
Rewards are another great way of staying on the straight and narrow, as if you give yourself regular treats, which are planned into the budget then you don't feel as hard done by and our more likely to achieve your spending goals.
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