6 Easy Tips to Decrease Spending and Avoid Post-Purchase Guilt

Hi again! Over the past year, I've started moving towards purchasing less, and only truly buying items that I love. It all started after I read "The Curated Closet," and I started feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of clothing I had in my closet, as well as just the buying process in general. I had so many pieces in my closet that I had only worn once or never worn at all. So after that, I began the process toward minimizing my wardrobe and working towards learning when to splurge and when to save.

Well, in the past year, I've finally curated a closet full of pieces I love to wear. Some I've spent a hefty amount on, and others I haven't. But no matter what the price, each piece in my wardrobe has been carefully considered, and it feels great. However, I'm definitely not saying this was an easy process. It took a lot of time, but I've definitely learned a lot, so I wanted to share some easy tips for you in case you're interested in trying it out! So without further a ado, here are 6 easy tips to decrease spending and avoid post-purchase guilt:

1. Purge your e-mail

I don't just mean deleting some of those pesky scam e-mails that pop into your inbox every once in a while. I'm talking about the multiple e-mails from companies we receive everyday, always advertising a new product or coupon. They're always telling us to buy, buy, buy! Just take a few minutes and go through your e-mail. For any company that you don't buy from or don't fully support, just click on the e-mail and scroll all the way to the bottom and click the "unsubscribe" option. I promise after getting rid of all of these e-mails you'll feel so refreshed and you won't feel the urge to spend every time you open your e-mail.

2.  Create a wish list

This is one of my favorite tips that I use all the time. I find it particularly useful for online shopping. In my phone notes, I have a wish list with pictures of any item I come across that I am interested in purchasing. Every time I add a new item, I go through my list and delete any others that I'm no longer wanting. This allows me to get rid of the "I need this now!" mentality and makes me truly think about my purchases. Over time, i slowly add and remove things from the list, as my desire to purchase items or my seasonal needs change. Some items only lasted a week on my list, while others have been there for months, which leads me to my next tip...

Sweater from Everlane

3. Employ the 2-month rule

A wish list is pointless if you simply put something on it and then purchase it the next day. The whole idea behind this is that the longer you wait, the more likely it is that you truly want/need it, that you'll love your purchase, and that you'll really feel good about your purchase (no post-purchase regret!). I started out waiting a few weeks to make sure I truly loved something before buying, but I've now upped it to about 2 months for even more assurance that I love the item. And let me tell you, purchases become a lot more rewarding this way too!

4. Identify between wants and "needs."

I know this one sounds simple, but it's also one that tons of people (including myself) struggle with. A wish list really helps in identifying your wants, but going through that list and identifying the level of "need" you have for an item will help weed out your purchases even more. For example, I've been eyeing a pair of cropped pants for a while. In fact, they've been on my wish list for over two months. However, I'm also in the market for a pair of winter boots to get me through the harsh Northeast winters. As it's mid-November, my level of need for the boots is much higher than a pair of pants I probably won't be able to wear when the temperatures drop, so bye-bye to the pants for now!

5. Determine when to splurge.

One thing that's super hard to decide is when to splurge and when to save. This is especially difficult when trying to shop ethical or small because small businesses have to charge more than mass producers. I'm not talking about winter coats or boots, because those I can totally justify spending more on knowing they'll last. I'm talking about that cute dress that you love, but is at the top of your price range. Someone once said on Instagram (if you know who said it, please tell me - I can't remember for the life of me!) that when deciding to splurge on something, you should only spend the dollar amount if you're willing to wear it that many times. For example, if that dress is $200, you better make sure that you'll wear it 200 times, or generally just wear the heck out of it! This has really helped me determine what items I really would wear and which ones I just like the idea of.

^ This coat from Anthropologie a few years ago 

was a complete splurge, but it's still 

one of my most worn items in my closet 

today, because I truly love it!

6. Decide how much is too much, and stick to it.

This one is super important. You know when you first read a price tag, and you say to yourself, "wow, that's too much, no way!"? But then you see that item again and you read the price tag again and you're not so appalled? Then a couple weeks later you find yourself looking at it again and thinking "oh, that's actually not that bad..." Well, stop doing that! I'm definitely someone who does this, but if you set a limit, for example, you would never spend more than $200 on a pair of shoes, then stick to it! Don't let you talk yourself into purchasing something out of your price range. Maybe even try putting it in a separate wish list and come back to it in a few months.. I bet you won't even want it anymore then.


And that's all for now! I hope you guys/gals liked this post. These are tips that I have personally used time and time again. They really worked for me, and I hope they work for you as well. Until next time!