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What internet habits are leading you to overspend?
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Most of us with desk jobs find that we spend a good chunk of our day plugged in. A lot of that time will be filled with surfing the web and browsing social media, where you’ll notice there are ads everywhere. Below are some tips to avoid internet pitfalls that lead to overspending.

Don’t go down the Pinterest rabbit hole. You start off by hopping on just to scroll for a bit and clear your mind. However, that turns into you buying the artisanal skirts that you found from a boutique and vintage jewelry from another retailer. Instead use the medium to find new ways to wear all the clothes you already have in your closet.

Don’t read promotional emails in your leisure time. It’s the weekend; you have all day to catch up on emails from your favorite stores. You don’t plan on buying anything but suddenly a sale pops up and unfortunately you are forced to shop and end up purchasing things. Rather, skim these emails when you don’t have time to buy.

The danger of going to Amazon.com to buy household goods is that everything is there when you log on to reorder paper towels, you may also end up purchasing four bras, some books, and a few new candles. Suddenly you spent way too much money. Don’t order household items online that you could pick up on the way home from work.

Stop trying to get “free” shipping. If you spend an additional $30 – 40 dollars to get free shipping, that shipping isn’t free because you end up paying three times over by purchasing items you didn’t need. Pay for the shipping or make a running list of things you actually do need.

I know that it can be tempting to shop online for things you don’t necessarily need, but with the right amount of willpower and insight into internet spending traps, you can avoid overspending.