Don’t blame your wandering eyes for that new TV that screams “impulse buy.” Blame your brain. Feel-good chemicals surge out of it following a purchase, fueling the craving for a buying-based mood boost in the future. (Dubious? Read up on therapy for shopping addiction for more proof.) Milledgeville State Bank is here to help you understand your brain’s cravings – and how to fight back.
The role of advertising
Advertisers and marketers sabotage your brain by playing up its ability to channel in on baser desires and fears like:
- Health and well-being
- Physical harm
- Seeking (or avoiding) love
- Financial loss
- Recognition
- Looking the best
Our brain is warped into thinking we need have our desires and fears satisfied like the people in the ads we consume. Our quest for perfection fuels a mad case of “Keep up with the Joneses” syndrome.
Immediate gratification and impulse shopping
This compulsive need to seek and attain the cream of the crop in any field is a need for immediate gratification, which can lead to impulse shopping, or shopping without thinking of future repercussions. When you purchase a $300 TV because your friend just got one, you no longer have that $300 to spend on important things like food, gas or rent. This can lead to higher credit card use and rampant credit card debt.
How to outsmart your pesky, irresponsible brain
Here are a few ways you can overcome the overpowering chemical reactions in your brain that make you want to go out and blow your budget on things you don’t truly need:
- Never go shopping in a foul mood (sad, angry, depressed, etc.)
- Ask the following questions:
- Will I really use what I’m buying?
- Can I get this product or service for less somewhere else?
- Why am I making this purchase?
- Can I actually afford this product or service?
- Was this need real before I saw it on the shelf, in a commercial, or on the airwaves?
Your brain may fly high after a moment of purchasing bliss, but let your wallet ride that wave of joy in the long-run with some self-restraint and smart financial planning. Milledgeville State Bank can help tame your brain with a financial strategy that outlasts any chemical boost ever could. Call or stop by Milledgeville State Bank for planning and product advisory today!