6 ways to curb online spending

After weeks of having stores closed, online shopping has become the preferred way to buy from some of our favorite brands. But if deliveries are arriving daily and packages are piling up, it may be time to reevaluate what you’re purchasing.

Fighting about finances is one cause of conflict in relationships, and it could be increasing as budgets tighten. Try the following tips to avoid buying things that you will probably return when stores reopen.

1. Unlink your credit cards. Retailers make it easy to complete a purchase by allowing you to store your credit card information. Make it a little harder to click “place order” by having to grab your credit card before making your next purchase.

2. Declutter. Will you find unworn items in your closet? Do you really need that new shirt? Take inventory of what you already own and in the process organize the mess that might be adding to your stress level.

3. Wait before completing your purchase. Try delaying your purchase for a day or two, or even a month. If you end up still wanting to complete your transaction, you might be pleasantly surprised to find a price drop due to items being seasonal.

4. Unsubscribe from retail emails. If you subscribe to emails from your favorite stores, you are constantly being tempted with sales, new products and free shipping. Clean up your inbox and don’t forget to also turn off app notifications.

5. Reevaluate subscriptions. Are you receiving monthly deliveries? Or set up for auto refills on favorite products that seem to pile up before you can use them? Now might be a good time to pause or cancel regular deliveries.

6. Track your spending. Write down all expenses for 30 days to see where you are spending money. Categorize purchases and identify areas that you could cut down on spending.

This story was updated on June 23, 2020.