Drinking and driving is not the only hazard that could cost you dearly. You can take that quite literally, because drinking and shopping could lead to some regretful purchases. Have you ever done a drunk purchase? Read on to learn more about it and how to avoid it!
Drunken Purchases Revealed
When Reuters did some research on social media recently, they discovered that many people have done a drunken purchase. Drunken purchases reported to Reuters on social media included a lava lamp, $400 of orange lingerie, bright pink jeans and a shooting star wrist tattoo. Food for thought, especially if you tend to have a drink when you are going on a shopping trip!
Statistics
Would you be surprised to learn that more than 1/3 of Americans have admitted to shopping under the influence of alcohol? Would you still be surprised if you learned that the average price tag of those shopping sprees amounted to $206? The study revealed that millennials account for 39% of the drunken shopping, Gen Xers are at 36%, and Boomers are at 18%. These are the right statistics, so if you don’t want to fall victim to this trap, maybe it’s time to skip that drink when you head to the shop.
The Most Common Drunken Buys
If you do have a drink, there might be some stores you want to avoid. Studies have shown that drunk purchases happen most in clothing and shoe stores, responsible for almost 39% of drunken purchases. Casinos and arcades should also be avoided though, because these tie with clothing stores and shoe stores at 39%. Casinos and arcades are followed by a purchase from the local tobacconist, more specifically cigarettes accounting for 38%.
Protecting Yourself Against Drunken Purchases
So, how do you protect yourself against unwanted drunken purchases? Well, if you intend on drinking while you shop, it is best to keep those credit cards at home. When your judgement is impaired, it is certainly easy to get the credit card out for something that looks great at the time. Therefore, keep those credit cards under lock and key when drunk shopping!
Of course, bad purchases can also be done through your cell phone. Spending binges are often caused by so-called shopping apps, where you only need to click once to purchase that pink jeans or a poorly rated movie. If you are inclined to use those shopping apps for drunken shops, be sure to remove them from your phone all-together.
Can’t contain yourself when you had a drink? Consider some apps that can limit your ability to access certain websites! The Freedom app and the StayFocusd chrome extension can all help you to stay away from those sites.
Lastly, you can get more familiar with the return policies of the stores you often drunk shop at. If you do make a bad purchase, you’ll always have the option to return your unwanted goods to the store.
Conclusion
Even though refraining from drinking while you shop is the most effective way to avoid unwanted purchases, sometimes circumstances lead you astray. Therefore, it is recommended to use the tips mentioned above to avoid drunken purchases, so you can protect yourself when you just can’t help buying unwanted items when under the influence!
"We often receive complimentary products to review at The Finance Genie. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team."