by Vicky Monroe
I live in northern Michigan, which usually gets pounded with snow in the winter. It’s usually still snowing in April and we even get a dusting here or there in May sometimes. Since my spouse and I aren’t into winter sports, we spend most of the dark days of winter huddled up inside.
Because the winters are so cold and long, we pretty much live for summer. However, our part of Michigan has a really bad bug season that seems to last from early May until the end of June. Usually, the bugs are gone by the Fourth of July and we can enjoy time outside.
Swarms of Bugs
But this year the bugs (especially the mosquitoes) have been really bad, which has been causing me to spend a lot more time inside. A travel vlogger I follow came here a few weeks ago and decided to cut her trip short because of it. Even the locals I’ve talked to who have lived here all their lives are surprised and annoyed by all the swarms.
Being cooped up inside this summer has definitely put me in a funk, so I haven’t been making the absolute best financial decisions. I bought some silly things on Amazon in the lead up to the Prime Day sale, which I usually try to stay away from. I let my inner child take over and bought an $80 mini trampoline, plus a few other things that totaled $150. Yikes! I hope that the trampoline will at least help me get some exercise since I haven’t been able to walk outside as much.
Avoiding Impulse Buys When You’re in a Funk
I’d like to nip this in the bud, so I thought I’d ask how you all avoid impulse purchases when you’re in a funk. The little devil on my shoulder telling me to buy something is louder and more convincing when my emotional reserves are low.
Looking forward to the package and jumping on the trampoline definitely boosted my spirits. However, I don’t want to keep relying on impulse buys to pull me out of my funk. If you have any tips on how to get over a seasonal slump when your usual self-care routine isn’t working, please let me know!
ADHD and Impulse Buys
I finally got my ADHD evaluation packet back and it turns out I actually do have severe inattentive ADHD. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the person doing my evaluation said that they thought my problems might be attributable to anxiety and my chronic illness, POTS. But a further review of all my testing and medical history revealed a stronger pattern of ADHD, so I got an official diagnosis.
I scheduled a follow-up appointment with my primary care practitioner to go over all my options. The psychology practice that did my evaluation said I was a strong candidate for medication, but they don’t prescribe it. So hopefully my PCP can help me figure out the best course of treatment so I can get on the pathway to higher productivity and far fewer impulse buys.
I read that impulse buying can be a symptom of ADHD. Usually, I’m good at telling myself “no, you don’t need a $25 Galaxy Lamp.” But when I’m feeling especially stressed or low, those little unplanned purchases sometimes sneak into my shopping cart.
I’m thinking about deleting TikTok because it has so many ads and blocking Amazon and HomeGoods on my computer so I can’t mindlessly browse. If you have any other suggestions, let me know!
Read More
Impulse Control in the One-Click Purchase Era
Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance and lifestyle writer. When she’s not busy writing about her favorite money saving hacks or tinkering with her budget spreadsheets, she likes to travel, garden, and cook healthy vegetarian meals.
Returns to Amazon are super easy. Just sayin’. 🙂
The first thing is to recognize why you are impulse buying, so you’ve already figured that out.
I would also try and stay off line in your leisure hours – less chance to see a “great deal” or a must have purchase. Keep your hands busy with crafts or hobbies or projects and try and get fresh air every day – keeps your mind clear.
Good luck!