It started innocently enough for me. After giving birth to my son, I ordered necessities, like diapers and wipes, on Amazon because it was more convenient than running to the store.
What Science Tells Us About Impulse Buying and the Brain
I know I’m not alone in this addiction to the “click.” An article in Psychology Today entitled “Shopping, Dopamine, and Anticipation” talks about how the anticipation of receiving a reward (shopping) releases dopamine to the brain.
How I’m Wrangling My Impulse Shopping and Overspending Online: 7 Ways
Determined to curb my impulse buying, I figured out some clever ways to trick my brain into thinking I was making a purchase without wasting my money (and adding to the guilt from overspending).
1. Add Items to Your Amazon Cart (Or Other Shopping Cart) But Don’t Buy Them Right Away
This has worked wonders for me. If I’m craving to click on something and get that purchasing rush, I add it to my cart. Then I check back in a day and ask myself if I still want it. Usually, I don’t, and I delete it.
The problem with buying online is that it’s too easy. It would help if you found ways to make it harder. There’s an app called icebox, which you can install for Chrome, that forces you to wait before you buy. Icebox changes all your “buy” buttons to instead say “on ice.”