🛒 Impulse buying: what I’ve learned 

I had a HUGE shopping binge during Christmas and now I'm struggling with getting back on track so this came at the EXACT right time.

Hay Ana🤗

Dear Ana, you described the "impulse-buy phenomenon" so well. I think I tend to impulse buy more when I want to feel stable. As a freelancer, I earn different amounts of money every month. When I earn more, I tend to save more and not even think about buying new things, but... when I earn less I suddenly surprise myself wanting a new pair of ballerinas or a new pair of earrings. I try to be aware of it but I still fall some times!

You're looking so pretty, Ana! Love the topic!

Dear Ana, Please don`t beat yourself up about buying some things you don`t need. There is something in between total frugality and binge buying. As long as you don`t overdo it buying something small and nice but unnecessary can also be a little source of pleasure from time to time. Maybe create a small monthly „indulgences budget“ and simply enjoy without guilt !

I had a video of you saved in “watch later” for 1 year or maybe more. I am impressed with the quality of your content and your person. In addition, I really like your accent. English is not my native language but I can understand almost everything you say because you speak slowly and clearly. I’ll be here from now on. Warm hugs from Mexico 🌱🍃

i always love the videos you make about your relationship to consumerism and mindfulness and spending and saving money. i come back to these videos often for guidance and inspiration for living a meaningful life on a low income, you have a balanced perspective that is very hard to find. there isn’t much advice out there for those of us trying to live a good life without much money that isn’t geared toward telling people how they can supposedly become rich or blaming poor people for their situation. i appreciate your philosophy of minimalism and it’s rare to find a discussion of the topic that isn’t about selling something or wealth signalling. i really appreciate this kind of video and i hope to take this approach to divest from consumerism and build what financial stability i can in the years ahead.

I often say that if I need something I should put it on a list and only buy stuff from the list

So clever.

Unfortunately I'm a "worrior" just like you but, to make a long story short, I learned from hard experience that you may well make your fears come true if you keep on worrying about them. So now I try and be a little bit more positive and do things that help me limiting my worrying attitude like watching your videos that are always interesting and thought provoking. I'm really glad I've found you. I'm also an an impulsive buyer every now and then, so thank you very much for your useful advice and suggestions 🙏

I know many of my impulse buys stem from me dreaming about making things creatively, but of not having the energy and focus to do so. Somehow buying materials for being creative, is tricking my brain into believing that I am being creative.

You look fantastic and very happy. Happy New Year to you and Brian🎉

I heard of this from a friend…! My ‘ friend’ sometimes buys impulsively 😺

Your voice and accent is so relaxing

Very interesting video, thank you Ana....

Thanks for your brilliant insights.

Such a timely topic, at least for me! I’m in the middle of a ‘no spend January’. To save money but also to be mindful of when and why I impulse buy! I’m hoping it will change the way I think about spending needlessly in the future. Thank you for sharing Ana!

I think my weakness with shopping is thrift stores. I do a lot of my craft supply shopping there. Even now, I have too many craft supplies that I want to use up. When I see a great deal at the thrift store, watch out, I will buy all of it when I really do not need it.

I'm a worrier too. It's influenced by stress and wanting to make sure everyone I love has what they need. Whatever that is. I have to make myself stop and wait and weigh the purchase by looking at the pros and cons. It does help, yet sometimes I still feel guilty for purchasing the item.

This is so timely, Ana! Thank you for your wonderful insights! I think the reasons you gave were exactly spot on. When you mentioned nostalgia I had a moment! Because that is exactly what gets me and I just didn’t know how to call it. Often after a nostalgic binge I feel emptier than I started. I’m not sure why that is, but I’m kind of glad I’m not the only one. I’m currently in a “Low Spend” January challenge. It hadn’t been great, but I’ve done much better than I thought. I’m aiming for a “No Spend “ February so this has been good practice. With needed items being so expensive here in the US and so much uncertainty everywhere, I just felt the need to get my act together and start hardcore saving. Christmas here in the US is a budget killer. Stress and emotions are super high, so it’s hard to follow the crowd and just spend in hopes it will make everyone including myself happier. It’s been a slow and painful ride into reality. Perfect time to sink into minimalism and focus on being thankful for the day we have in front of us. Much love!💛Stacy

Great video! I am almost 100% like you! Buying stuff to recreate those happy moments, wanting to feel stable, “this will complete my setup” kinda thoughts… I will also focus myself on things I actually want to do/get. I really only have 1 wishlist item for this year, it will be an expensive purchase so I will need to save up and stop buying random small things. I also want to focus on continuing my drawings and my hobby projects. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Take care!

Hey Ana! I've been watching your videos for a long time and I love how you share a totally different perspective on this platform, I love your thoughts on capitalism, minimalism and how to find balance - and I would love to hear more about your background and upbringing. I know you're probably not comfortable sharing everything and somethings are sensitive, but I would love to hear what you are comfortable with sharing. How was it growing up in Soviet? What were your parents like? What did you dream of as a kid? How did things change after Soviet becoming Russia? All of those things are super interesting to me. I also think you should share more about what your videos actually are about in the title - like "Reasons to why we impulse buy - from someone who grew up poor and now is a minimalist" or something like that. I also would love to hear more on that topic, I think it's interesting when people with little or no money choose minimalism as adults. Sending you loads of love! xx from Copenhagen /Alejandra

I impulse buy souvenirs for my family and friends everytime I go on a trip (and naturaly miss them from day 1 ) ... even short trip ... It feels like bringing them a little bit of my hapiness

Perfect timing, especially with all of the after Holiday sales. It can be really tempting, but I realize that I don’t need anymore “stuff”. Like several of the other people who commented, craft supplies are a big temptation for me. And, as you said, shopping can be sentimental and bring back so many wonderful memories. I hope you have a good week! ❤

You look really pretty; I like your longer hair. You can stop worrying; just remind yourself that worry changes nothing. And wastes your time and energy. I buy without too much thought when it is a small item, like a t-shirt or cheap sandals. I spend lots of time thinking/planning big purchases like homes and cars. The problem with this is I have a plethora of cheap sandals and t-shirts. Too many. How much more money would I have if I didn’t do that? I think it stems from wanting to pretend I am fine and can afford things. And I can, but I don’t need them and how much money could I have instead? Thank you for bringing this up. Another thing to think about. I am in the desert in my car now, seeing my friends. I made it! Love to you and Brian!

I am in one of the cycles you describe. I work a lot and so I impulse buy to treat myself. In particular I spend a lot of money on eating out and buying more than I can cook at grocery stores. What do I have to show for it? 50 extra pounds and less money in the bank. Fortunately I’ve started to break the cycle because I have realized my spending habits are a reaction to stress. So in 2023 I’ve been preparing more meals at home and buying only the ingredients I need for the meals I am planning to make. Hopefully I will begin to lose some of the extra weight.

Thank you so much for another video that so resonated with myself. I impulse buy because I always think if I haven’t got the right clothes or the right items in my home that people won’t like me. I am trying to portray a certain image as I think that I am not enough otherwise. My partner has passed away in January and I seem to have gotten worse since then. And then I feel guilty for even thinking about shopping as I should just be grieving instead. But I think it’s the shopping that keeps me from grieving 😢 I will try a no shopping May and continue it through the rest of the year. 🤞 I am so glad I have found your channel. It calms me and makes me feel hopeful for the future when I watch you in the morning with my first coffee of the day. ❤❤❤

my biggest problem is, that my severe autism means all human interactions go wrong, sooner or later: i can't read people, so i have no control over work, study, anything. The only area where things happen as i intended, where i think 'i will do x' and it happens, is shopping. So it's my wish to be able to control my life just for a while.

I impulse shop sometimes just to let go of the constant woory and strain of keeping an eye on my finances ... just to be a carefree child again for just one moment ...

I m a worrier and an impulse buyer too, but what motivates me to save some money is actually travelling, if I plan to travel it s easy to give up on clothes and other stuff

Speaking with my psychotherapist I realised that the reason why I'm buying so much stuff is because I'm trying to fill a gap. The question is: when will it be enough? I'm working on it, as always the first step is becoming aware 😓

Hi Ana, I too am a prodigious worrier. Especially now, as a 70+ year old, I feel more vulnerable. My response to these worries is "impulse saving". I'm like a pack rat, endlessly stuffing money away. Doing this provides me with a feeling of security though, and when a big expenditure arises, like a new roof or an expensive new bicycle, being able to pay for it all a once is reassuring. Perhaps my biggest worry is taking on debt, and having lots of savings does help to mitigate that. P.S. your earrings are beautiful. Are they new?

It's not unusual for me to return items bought impulsively...on the other hand when I was younger ( a whole lot younger) I didn't buy a sweater I wanted because it would have been on impulse and I've regretted that decision ever since. 🙂 In recent times, I've sometimes seen the usefulness of money spent on impulse because my default setting is more of a scarcity mentality and that's no fun. It's interesting that this can be such a challenge for so many of us. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. (Good luck finding the ideal shoes!)

Yes I so agree with you I think everyone impulse buys for some reason or another ❤ have a lovely weekend ❤

Another great video girl. Love to hear your thoughts. Thank you 🍻

I am definitely an impulse buyer. Not usually, but when I am being mindless or feeling some lack. Great video, my friend!

This was a kind slap on the wrist❤😂

That's so true Ana 👍 great video be safe 🙏 take care 🙂

😀😀

When I went on vacation with my family this year, there was a lot of pressure to "buy yourself a little something". I found myself, instead, shopping for others, looking for Christmas gifts. When Christmas came, I found myself impulse buying again, looking to ensure that I "kept up with the Joneses", spending more money on more items for people. They loved their gifts, I put a lot of thought into them, but due to pressure (I probably have the lowest income of the group), I ended up spending way too much. It just felt so bad to only have one or two gifts for them in the past, when many of them are able to spend much more per person. Duh, I don't need to spend money to show them I care about them, but there's a weird social pressure that I built up inside of myself that isn't even there.

Ana thank you so much. I am in the USA. Western Pennsylvania. I am lucky to be retired and settled In a mobile home that I own outright. I have a small fixes income. Poverty level according to our government. Due to my erratic work history. Some due to having 3 children but most due to trauma based mental illness. I learned 2 years ago how to cash budget. It changed my life. Now I save in small increments monthly to achieve a big purchase. However your video challenged me to make a wish list for 2023. I have been thinking on what I need for one hour. So far the list is blank. Time will tell. Thank you for sharing my friend.

First of all: I love your longer hair! And then: impulse shopping (for clothes) for me was always to create an image of myself which I wasn't in reality. I wanted to look polished and professional, but now I know I'm not that kind of person. Impulse buying also happens when things are really cheap (decoration for my house). I try to avoid these cheap shops as much as possible and replace it by going to thrift shops; that has really helped me a lot. This year I am certain to not buy clothes, because I really have enough. I want to try to get satisfaction out of non material things, such as my grandchildren, friends, gardening in my edible garden, sow flower seeds, ... Thank you for your always on point video's!

Hello Anna, it is always a delightful pleasure to hear from you. I thank you again for sharing yourself with me (us). I know I look forward to hearing from you and always seem to have a take away message from each of your videos. Thank you again. Be well my friend and head into the new year with still and calm. Namaste.

i try hard not to impulse shop but Birthdays always get me, they are so special and I go overboard! I am a worrier too Ana, so I understand! Have a great weekend!

Great video Ana 📹 I trun 33 tomorrow

Couldn´t agree more - Thank you, dear Ana 🌻!

I smiled when you pulled the pignoli from the shelve as I did exactly the same at the whole foods market today. Oh what an urge to make a very good excuse for placing them in my cart. But so expensive! And I needed other more essential items. I really had no money to splurge. Instead I chose much cheaper sunflower seeds. Ha! Here's a twist. I also impulsively added pepitas, pumpkin seeds. Afterward I considered, I could've had those pine nuts for the same amount as the other two seeds together!! 😉😁 So much for economy!! You always make me think about motives. Have a lovely week, Ana. Stay warm. 💖

Bonjour chère Ana ! I can relate so much to your insight on this subject... and for me it's also often the need of searching the perfect objet (in general : smaller, lighter, with the multi-purpose side)... It's quite hard for me to escape from this habit ! Thank you so much, warm hugs dear friend 😊🌿💛🌸

Hi Ana. I can relate to all those impulse-buying triggers. With me it's mostly art stuff or stationery. As a consequence I have many pens and notebooks that will take me years to use up!

Dear Ana the worryer : you have a fan base here (31,4 K!) ready to help you if things ever go wrong. You give us clever life advices, artistic insights and online craft workshops for free. You are a generous artist. We can help for sure in case of need. At least, I know I will. Take care and thanks for that excellent vid about impulse buy, it helped me a lot. Genevieve from Cacouna, Canada 🙂

This is a great and necessary video. I realized a few months ago that I am paying off a huge credit card debt and it has been a struggle. I also realized that I did most of that "damage" during the pandemic. So, now I'm on mostly a no-buy. I have caught myself many times when I'm bored or feeling low...going online and randomly looking at things to buy. What keeps me from doing so is the debt I am carrying and also, our cluttered home. I think I do not have one little space for anything really. I have all that I need and then some! Good point, impulse buying is not just for those with disposable income. PS: Did you make the earrings? I would love a tutorial. They are really pretty.

👌❤❤

Dear Anna, Odlično objašnjeno.I zaista je tako. Ija sam kupila knjigu o ručnim radovima,ne zato što mi treba,nego zato što sam takvu istu nekad davno dobila od mame a nestala je u ratnim dešavanjima. Ponekad je lepo častiti sebe nekom sitnicom ili kupiti poklončiće za drage ljude.Uvek imam listu stvari koje bi trebala kupiti i koje mi baš trebaju ali retko sve to mogu sebi prijuštiti.Veliki pozdrav.

Love your thoughts on the subject. I can related to them. January is a month of celebration for me and I decided to have a financial diet for the month limiting my exoenses to the necessary. I am evaluating my buying habits out of the thought of scarcity and not enough. I am feeling very optimistic for the the future and I am learning as I am going the process. It had been 14 days without shopping including grocery shopping. thank you for challenging me with your inspiring thoughts and reflections. Love 💗only love 💗for you and Brian