It is so easy to buy things we don’t need without noticing it. It feels like a waste to throw them away if we haven’t used it.
In a survey conducted by Tim Wilson and Dan Gilbert from the University of Pennsylvania, customers were asked if they were hungry and what they planned to buy in a supermarket.
Customers were divided into two groups based on whether they were hungry or not. The group who said they were hungry bought snacks that they had not previously planned to.
The experimenters recommended both groups to write a checklist beforehand and both groups didn’t make any extra purchases during their second visit to the supermarket.
Without prior planning, it is easy to be overwhelmed by temptations.
Writing down the things you want to buy on paper can help you to reduce impulsive purchases and prevent you from buying unexpected things.