CREDITBUDGETINGLIFESTYLE & TRAVEL

Overcoming Credit Card Impulse Spending

Impulse spending can affect your finances — especially if you’re using a credit card. Finding a balance between your wants and needs can help you establish good spending habits. Read our latest article to learn more about overcoming impulse spending.

We all have moments where we spend a little more than we should, whether it’s buying more clothes at the mall than we planned or a quick trip for milk turning into a shopping spree and a stuffed fridge. Many people feel like there’s a voice in their head telling them they need new items. For some, it can become a serious problem, especially when spending is done using a credit card. Impulse spending with credit cards can drive you into debt which can have a lasting impact on your finances. If you’re dealing with this, there are ways to overcome these habits. Read on to learn more.

Identify the Problem and Assess the Damage

The first thing you want to do is evaluate your current habits. This means taking some time to go through your credit card statements. Review how often you're spending, what you’re buying, and where you're making the most purchases. This will help you identify where you tend to overspend. Once you have this information, it’s important to see what damage, if any, you may have done to your credit. If you haven’t been paying your credit card balances off monthly, your credit score most likely has taken a hit. If you continue this behavior, it can often negatively impact your overall credit. After seeing where you stand, know that you can overcome your current situation by making this a priority.

Establish Good Habits

Now that you have discovered what your monthly purchases are, it’s time to make changes. Let’s go over a few steps that can help lead you in the right direction.

1. Be intentional. If you’re someone who tends to buy what you see, create a shopping list before heading out.
2. Differentiate needs and wants. Before every purchase, consider if it’s something you absolutely need or would just like to have.
3. Budget monthly. Creating and using a budget will give an idea of what you can afford to spend and help you stay consistent when spending.
4. Is it credit-worthy? When you’re shopping, ask yourself if it’s necessary to use your credit card to make the purchase. In some cases, it’s more beneficial to use your debit card than your credit card.
5. Accountability partner. Having someone, such as a close friend or partner, with you while you shop can help you stay accountable in tough decision-making moments.
6. Limit yourself to one card. Some people have access to more than one credit card and are tempted to use them while shopping. Try carrying only one credit card to decrease your overall desire to spend just because you have multiple credit cards in your wallet.
7. Boredom shopping. Some people will shop because they’re bored. Instead, fill that urge with a different activity such as cleaning, reading or exercising.
8. Cut yourself off. If you’re someone who already has a large balance with no way of paying it off by the end of the month, try cutting yourself off from using your credit card(s) until the balance is paid off.

Credit can be your friend but, in some cases, it can also be your enemy. You have the control to determine what your financial future will be and making your credit a priority is an important step in that process. Setting goals for what you want to accomplish can keep you consistent in making good financial decisions. This doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to something nice occasionally, but it does mean prioritizing your long-term financial health over the short-term thrill of a new purchase. Decisions you make now can affect what options are available to you later. Use the tips in this article to take the first steps toward creating better spending habits so you can reach the goals you have yet to dream up.

Sources:

https://247wallst.com/personal-finance/2025/03/28/i-struggle-with-impulse-buying-how-can-i-control-my-spending-habits-for-good/