5 Ways to Recognize Emotional Spending
2 min read
Emotional spending, also known as retail therapy, is a common behavior that many people engage in without even realizing it. It’s the act of using shopping to cope with emotions, whether it be stress, sadness, loneliness, or even happiness. While it may provide a temporary boost, emotional spending can have serious consequences for your financial well-being. In this article, we will explore ways in which you can notice if you’re spending emotionally and offer practical tips to curb this habit:
1. Tracking Expenses
One of the most effective ways to identify emotional spending is to keep a detailed record of your expenses. This includes not only big-ticket purchases but also the small, impulsive buys. By maintaining a record of your spending, you can better assess where your money is going and start to notice patterns. If you consistently spend on unnecessary items when you’re feeling a certain emotion, you may be an emotional spender.
2. Impulse Buying
Impulse buying is a telltale sign of emotional spending. South Africans can recognize this behavior by noticing how often they make unplanned purchases. If you frequently find yourself buying items you didn’t intend to purchase when you first walked into a store or visited an online shop, it’s a sign that emotions may be driving your spending decisions.
3. Frequent Shopping Trips
Frequent shopping trips, especially when they are not related to necessary groceries or essential items, can indicate emotional spending. If you find yourself visiting stores regularly without a clear purpose, consider if you’re using shopping as a way to manage your emotion.
4. Credit Card Balance
A growing credit card balance is another red flag for emotional spending. If your credit card statements consistently show purchases you can’t account for or that you later regret, it’s a clear sign that your emotions are influencing your spending habits.
5. Buyers Remorse
Feeling buyer’s remorse is a common experience for emotional spenders. After making a purchase, you might feel guilty, regretful, or anxious about your buying decision. Take these feelings seriously and reflect on why you’re experiencing them. This introspection can help you understand and address your emotional spending habits.
The content provided in this article is provided as general information. It is not intended as nor does it constitute financial, tax, legal, investment, or other advice. We accept no responsibility from any loss arising as a result of your reliance on information contained in this article, any related communication or on our app.
Download Spot & Maximise Your Money
App Store
50K+ downloads
Google Play
100K+ downloads
AppGallery
35K+ downloads
Spot app is an offering by Spot Money SA (Pty) Ltd (2005/016196/07) in association with Bidvest Bank Ltd (2000/006478/06), an authorised FSP and credit provider.
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube
Instagram
Tiktok
Linkedin
