Avoidance Tactics - Impulse Food Shopping

Impulse shopping is defined as “an unplanned decision to buy a product or service, made just before

a purchase. One who tends to make such purchases is referred to as an impulse purchaser or

impulse buyer.” The best way to avoid becoming or remaining and impulse shopper is to shop online

since the majority of impulse buys are done in store. Just holding something in your hand increases the

likelihood that you buy it. If you make your purchases online, you have a better chance of saving money

and resisting the impulse. Specifically, grocery shopping online helps to resist those extra food

purchases that were unplanned, unbudgeted, and not helping with that diet you’re convincing yourself

to stay true to. Walking down the aisles full of snack foods and desserts is the epitome of temptation.

That’s the piece that drives us to impulses, the temptation. When you purchase for foods online, you

have to type in exactly what you are looking for. You aren’t going to type in a fruit and have sour cream

potato chips pop up giving you that internal struggle you experience in between aisles at the store. And

let’s face it, when you can avoid an internal struggle with yourself, you should. You never can be sure if

the responsible version of yourself choosing the salad or the rebel in you allowing you a cheat day in the

middle of the week will win the battle. Another benefit to online grocery shopping and delivery is that

it’s much easier to look at your online shopping cart and remove items with the digital trash icon

provided, rather than go back through all the aisles and put things back on the shelves when you realize

you currently have way over your budgeted grocery amount in your cart. Plus, if you start avoiding

impulse food shopping, you are still allowed impulse shopping in other areas. Mall visits still acceptable.