With Christmas long gone, many New Year resolutions may also be just a distant memory. To make a change permanent is pretty tough. It requires a change of behaviour and that’s not so easy to do. If you heralded 2014 with a commitment to sort out your impulsive spending habits you might have already slipped up.

Never mind…start again…why not? Perhaps this time try it with these three things in mind:

Answer this question
If the numbers don’t support the decision to spend, what reason does? Perhaps the answer to this question will stop some of those impulsive purchases. If not try this:

Three day rule
If you’ve answered the previous question and you’re satisfied (I mean really satisfied) with your response, then wait three days. That’s right – do nothing for three days. This will allow you time to think through your decision. If you’re still sure it’s the right thing to do – go for it.
Now you can be a bit more confident that the decision is based on sound reasons instead of emotions. However don’t accept your own word for it – you’ve dropped a few clangers around money before, right? So try this too:

A second opinion
Apply this to big money decisions or if your track record or recent history with money is littered with disasters. Ask someone you trust if your reasons make sense. Having a fresh set of eyes look at a situation might give a bit of insight that you just couldn’t see. Perhaps the mere act of explaining your reasons might be enough for you see its flaws. Talking to someone first might make a massive difference.

So if you are going to give it another go try putting these simple rules in place. You never know, they may just make the difference.