7 crucial questions to ask before making an impulse purchase
Okay, let’s be honest… there are times when an impulse purchase turns out to be the best purchase ever, am I right? But, if we continue to be honest, those times are probably few and far between and more often than not the items we purchase impulsively turn out to be unnecessary purchases at the least or huge regrets at most.
Whether it’s our bank accounts that are struggling to keep up or an overfull wardrobe that really can’t handle another addition, impulse purchases can leave us feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or even depressed.
Frustrated that we can’t seem to stop impulsively buying things that we really don’t need, overwhelmed at the amount of items in our wardrobe and we don’t even know what we have any more, or depressed that our bank accounts are suffering or our credit cards are nearing their spending limit.
Whatever your feelings may be, you’re here, reading this now, because you want to avoid (or at the very least reduce the number of) impulse purchases. Drawing from my own past experiences of regretful or excessive impulse purchases, I’ve come up with seven crucial questions that you need to ask yourself before making that impulse purchase.
These questions can help you determine whether something will positively contribute to having a well-rounded wardrobe or if it’s something that you really can live without. Taking the time to slow down and honestly answer these questions has significantly helped me reduce the number of impulse purchases I’ve made over the last several years, and I know they’ll help you too.
You may find that not every question applies to every potential purchase, and for that reason I’ve listed them out in no particular order. Just focus on the ones that you feel apply to you the most in any given situation.
So, here are your seven questions.
(1) CAN I WEAR IT WITH AT LEAST 3 OTHER OUTFITS?
Think about what you already have in your wardrobe and try to visualize whether this new piece can be worn with pieces/outfits you already own.
One of the goals of creating a well-rounded wardrobe is to have pieces that are versatile and can be worn multiple different ways with multiple different outfits.
If the item you’re thinking about purchasing is a flashy, statement piece that you know can only be worn one specific way with one specific outfit, reconsider whether that is something that will be a positive contribution to your wardrobe and whether you really want to spend your hard-earned money on a wear-one-time piece or if you’d rather find something that you will be able to wear over and over.
(2) DO I ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR?
Be sure that you have a good idea of what you already own so that you can avoid making a purchase of something that you basically already have.
If you’re like me, there are probably certain categories of items in your wardrobe that you love to purchase, yet you really don’t need any more of. For me, it’s blazers, tailored trousers, and (probably the one I’m most guilty of) sweaters.
Even if the item is a good price and you “love” it, be honest with yourself about whether something you already have will serve the same purpose, and if so, use and wear what you already have.
(3) DOES THIS WORK WITH AND MAKE SENSE FOR MY STYLE/LIFESTYLE?
Take time to consider whether the item you’re thinking about purchasing really makes sense for your current lifestyle and whether it truly suits your personal style.
Your wardrobe should have practical, versatile, functional pieces that suit your personal style (pieces that you love to wear and that you’ll wear over and over) and your lifestyle (pieces that make sense for what you do on a daily basis).
If the item you’re thinking about purchasing doesn’t check any or all of those boxes, then chances are you should move on without purchasing it.
(4) IS IT FINAL SALE?
Unless you can try it on in-store and know 100% that it fits you perfectly, that it is a good quality piece, and that it is something you know you’ll get lots and lots of wear out if, do not (I repeat, do not) purchase something that is final sale.
If you purchase a final sale item without being able to try it on and ensure it’s exactly what you want, then chances are you’ll discover that the fit isn’t exactly right or the color isn’t what it looked like online or some other reason that you find for not liking it, and then you’re stuck with another item in your wardrobe that you’ll never wear and, even worse, can’t be refunded!
(5) IF I WAIT, WILL I STILL WANT IT IN 24-48 HOURS?
Give yourself time to really consider whether the item you’re thinking of purchasing is something that will truly benefit your wardrobe.
Sleep on it; look at your current wardrobe and visualize the different ways you could wear the item that you’re thinking of purchasing; make sure you don’t already have something similar; ask yourself whether it truly works with your current style/lifestyle; make sure that purchasing this item is within your budget.
Giving yourself time to consider all of these questions and hypotheticals will really help you figure out whether an item is something you can truly use and would wear often or help you realize you didn’t really need it at all.
(6) AM I ONLY BUYING IT BECAUSE IT’S ON SALE?
Honestly, who doesn’t love a good sale? But if you feel pressure to impulsively purchase something simply because it’s on sale, or because the sale will only last another two hours, or because there’s a low stock alert, take a deep breath, realize that there will likely be another sale or another restock, and wait.
Even if you see an item that is marked down from $500 to $50 and you think “look at all the money I would be saving!”, stop to consider whether it’s something that will truly benefit your wardrobe and something you would wear often or if you’re only purchasing it because of the huge discount.
(7) DID I EVEN REALIZE I WAS MISSING IT BEFORE AN INFLUENCER OR AD BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION?
Think about whether you even knew you “needed” this item before an influencer/content creator mentioned it or if you’re only purchasing it because you now feel like you’re “missing out” if you don’t have it.
If you didn’t even realize your wardrobe was missing this piece before it was brought to your attention, then chances are it isn’t something you really need. Also, think about whether you already have something in your wardrobe that is similar. Even if it’s a different brand name or color, you may already have something in your wardrobe that could serve the same function.
And that’s it! Seven questions to help you avoid making impulse purchases that aren’t positively contributing to your wardrobe.
In addition to asking yourself these seven questions, having a “to buy” list can also be very helpful for keeping you on track by reminding you of what your wardrobe is really missing rather than impulsively buying something that you don’t really need. You can create your own “to buy” list or use this template to help get you started.
Let me know if you have any other tips or tricks that you use to help you avoid making impulse purchases. As always, you can reach out by submitting a question or comment through my contact page or by emailing me directly at hello@awellroundedwardrobe.com.
Amber
Hi, I’m Amber
Creator and founder of A Well-Rounded Wardrobe. Whether you’re looking to start building a wardrobe from scratch or simply want to fine tune what you already have, you’re in the right place. Start exploring.