You swear, starting today, you will curb your spending. You really mean it. until….
You’re monitoring online advertise For this cute summer dress, dying. Later, you flip through the Costco directory and the Vitamix Blender you’ve been following is selling.
No need to think, you can whip in and make a purchase, it feels great. Until the bill arrives. Then you remember your vows and beat yourself up because you don’t have more willpower.
But wait! According to the latest research, all the willpower in the world may not be enough. Blame it on your brain.
A recent study conducted brain scans on people who planned to buy with credit cards and those who planned to use cash. They found significant differences in brain activity between the two groups.
“Buying with credit is not just about alleviating the inhibitory effect of shoppers,” the Wall Street Journal reported. “It actively encourages buying.”
This is what happened. You will see items you like. Just knowing that you will charge a fee will cause the reward center in your brain to light up immediately, from Irresistible Desire to spend money. ((Pay attention to emphasis Irresistible! )
This pattern is indeed no Occurs when using cash. “This is a very obvious difference,” the researchers explained.
Of course, you can cut your credit card. or refuse to use them. But these days, when most purchases are made online, it can be a bit tricky.
Instead, why not apply the 3 steps of re-response I proposed in the latest book Respond. I assure you that when it comes to the fierce gravity of the brain, the power is rarely effective.
First, recognize your strong buying impulse, curiosity rather than criticism. “It’s not that fun! Even if I promised myself that I wouldn’t spend money, I wanted to buy that dress.”
Next, reimagine with more positive affirmation. “I feel good when I deliver on my promise.” Or “I’m glad to transfer the price of this dress to my bank account.”
Finally make a different response By ignoring the ad (or returning your purchase) and depositing the money into your savings.
If you repeat these three steps over and over, you will find that it will consistently be easier to resist the urge to spend.
Are you struggling with impulse spending? What steps do you want to take to curb it? Share the comments below.
