The Science Behind Spending

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “Oh, I’ll just browse around this site,” and the next thing you know, you’re spending more than your weekly budget?

Well, no shame in that; we sometimes experience that too. But here is the thing, there’s actually a real scientific explanation for why you are doing this. Let’s dissect it, shall we?

Dopamine: The Feel Good Hormone

So when you make a purchase, your brain will release this hormone called dopamine- also called by many as “feel-good: neurotransmitter. This thing is what  makes you feel good when you get a reward. So, when you make a purchase, of course its going to feel good and human as we are we always want to feel good. That is why you find something that makes you feel that same feeling, in case, buy something again.

Fear of Missing Out

FOMO is a very real thing! We are sure you have felt that in your life every once in a while too. FOMO, essentially, capitalizes on this thing called social proof which is the cause of people joining bandwagons and making the purchase of a product that has a lot of good reviews and is used by a lot of people.

Emotional Aspect

We often place sentimental importance on material things, believing that acquiring specific objects would improve our lives or satisfy a deeper desire for pleasure or belonging. Whether it’s an item of fashionable clothing, the latest gadget, or a costly accessory, we convince ourselves that these purchases would somehow improve our lives. It is basically seeing an ad that says, “click this site and become the best version of yourself”.

Discounts and Promotions

Ever purchased a thing that you dont need purely because it was on sale? Yeah, we feel you. Buying something for cheaper than ots original price can be very tempting- like buying an ugly sweater because it was discounted.We understand that it might look like a good deal at first but you are actually losing more money than you think. After all, once the rush from spending wears out, who would want to wear an ugly, itchy sweater?

What Can You Do About This?

By now, you should have realized that his habit of mindless spending is not healthy or is it very sustainable for your wallet. You may ask “what can I do bout this”?  Well, as with everything else, awareness is the first step. Understanding the psychological factors driving our shopping behavior allows us to detect and resist temptation. You can begin with setting a budget and adopting the phrase “need over want” can all help us keep our spending under control.

Conclusion

All that said, it’s fine to indulge in yourself once in a while. Just remember to pace yourself and always moderate your expenses. We sincerely hope that this has been useful to you and that the next time you find yourself tempted to spend be it in online shopping or whatever else you want to spend on, remember our advice: pause, take a deep breath, and think carefully if it’s really worth it.