Christina Mychas Christina Mychas

Follow These 5 Key Steps to Stop Your Next Impulse Buy In Its Tracks

For most of my adult life, I’ve struggled with impulse buying and emotional spending. I was a full-blown shopaholic in over $120,000 of debt, constantly stressing about money, but always looking to relieve that stress by shopping even more. I knew something needed to change, and I figured extreme problems like mine would require extreme solutions. So I did things like shopping detoxes, and No Buy Challenges and practiced extreme minimalism to try to make up for my years of money mistakes.

Yes, I was spending less, saving more. . . and I even paid off my debts! But after a while of living this way, even a “frivolous” expense like a latte would end up sending me into a shame spiral. I often found myself yo-yo’ing between impulsive overconsumption and extreme frugality and I still ended up feeling stuck despite the progress I made. That’s when it really hit me: restriction is not the same as healing. What I truly needed was balance (my version of balance is called “Minimalist-ish®” but that’s for another blog post…).

So in this blog post, that’s the angle we’re taking to help curb your impulse spending. We’re doing it with balance. Because I’m actually not against shopping at all, but if you want to develop a better relationship with what you buy, then it’s important to understand the why behind it. When you can understand this and start to recognize your patterns, then you’ll be able to slow things down to avoid the purchases you regret, and feel great about the ones you truly want!

1. Where is the urge to spend coming from?

Impulse buys happen. Whether it’s a cute top that feels like a steal at the thrift store or something you saw on TikTok you just had to try. . . we’ve all been there. We’ve all felt the buyer’s remorse after too. But there’s a hidden opportunity in those impulse buys. What if before you add to cart, you paused to ask “Why?”

I realized my impulse buying was both a symptom of my anxiety and a coping mechanism to try to deal with it. But all this left me with was:

  • A constant sense of chaos and overwhelm by too much stuff

  • Financial stress and guilt

  • That familiar shame spiral that sounds like “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!” followed by “You shouldn’t be doing this...” and then, you know... doing it anyway

A powerful first step? Stop and take notice. Ask yourself: What emotion am I trying to soothe here? What am I avoiding? Can I wait? My Minimalist-ish Journal: Buy Less, Live Better & Find Joy in What You Already Have includes a ton of great prompts, mind maps, and reflections to help you uncover this. I designed it to be your mindful spending support system.

2. Set Boundaries Around Why, When and How You Shop

Let’s be real: you’re going to shop sometimes. And that’s okay. I prefer that you do it with a sense of control and balance over your decisions, rather than them feeling like a chaotic chase for another hit of cheap dopamine. To do this, you need to set some boundaries (boundaries you trust you’ll actually stick to!). These are some of my favorites that you can try:

  • Wait 72 hours before buying -- put it on a Wishlist instead!

  • Set a “Worry-Free” Budget — for example, “If it’s under $20, I don’t need to overthink it.” There’s a difference between impulse buying a pack of gum vs. yet another pair of boots that you JUST saw on that influencer

  • No shopping allowed on your phone

  • No shopping in the evenings

  • Shopping only in person - I love this one because it means you have to make plans ahead of time to go, which makes it a more intentional act from the start. You also get to touch, feel, and try on the item in person, which usually helps you realize you may not even want it. If you’re primarily an online shopper, this is a game changer.

  • Being able to pay for it 100% in full - no payment plans or credit card payments

The key to shopping more mindfully and stopping those impulse buys in their tracks is to slow down the wanting from the buying. What boundaries can you implement to do this?

3. Use What You Already Have

The most underrated tool for curbing overconsumption and saving money is so simple that it’s kind of embarrassing how often we forget to do this. Use your stuff!

It’s so easy to forget about all the awesome things we already own because we always seem to think that newer is better. Friendly reminder: you bought what you have for a reason! See if you can reconnect with them. Here are some ways you can do it:

  • Feeling spendy for a new outfit? Try shopping your closet. Re-create your inspo outfit using your own clothes — you can see exactly how I do that in this video on YouTube!

  • Want to buy that new blush? Check to see if you already own a similar shade. Don’t forget that makeup expires, and honestly there’s nothing more satisfying than finishing up a product!

Honor your past self’s choices and commit to making use of what you already own. If you need more help with this mindset, it’s exactly Why I wrote The Minimalist-ish Journal: Buy Less, Live Better and Find Joy in What You Already Have. When you build gratitude for the things you already own, that new thing might not feel so tempting. My journal will help you dig into those mindsets to change your habits around this!

4. Keep a Wishlist

Impulse buying thrives on instant gratification. The Want → Buy Cycle happens so fast you barely have time to think about what just happened (and how much you spent!).

Here’s the hack: write it down on a Wishlist.

I keep mine in my Minimalist-ish Journal. Others use a Pinterest board or simply keep a list on their phone. The method doesn’t matter here, but what does matter is that you’re creating some separation between the Want and the Buy.

I can’t tell you how often I’d put something new on my Wishlist, only to have completely forgotten about half the things I wrote down! Give yourself space to forget about the item by placing it down on your Wishlist. And if you still can’t stop thinking about it? Great! Now you can make your plan to buy it in a way that actually feels good.

5. Change The Way You See Yourself

You know, I can give you all the tips and tricks on how to spend more mindfully, how to declutter your life, shop less, and change your habits. . . but that’s not going to mean anything if you still always see yourself as a hopeless “Impulse Buyer”, “Spender” or “Shopaholic”.

Ouch, I know. It’s a hard pill to swallow. But real and lasting habit change comes from how we see ourselves. It comes from your identity.

Your habits will NEVER stick if you don’t believe that you’re the type of person who waits before they buy something. Or that you’re the type of person who values quality over quantity, or you’re the type of person who uses what they have first before buying new. . .

So how do you change this? Begin with the end result in mind. If you want to become a more intentional buyer, ask “What does a person who shops mindfully do?” or “What does a person who’s confident with money do?”

Your actions need to match the identity of the person you want to be. If you find yourself struggling with a limiting or negative self-identity, change the type of person you believe you are.

If you skip this critical step, you’ll likely find yourself always falling back into your old ways. Which we usually end up using as our excuse to stay the same. “Oh, I racked up another $500 bill at Target? Well, I’m just a shopaholic. . . I guess that’s just what I do.” Sound familiar?

So think about the actions, qualities, and values that your ideal person has and start acting like that person. It will give you a roadmap to becoming them. With time, you’ll eventually start to see yourself in this new way and believe you are that type of person. This is where the real and last change comes from.

Want to go deeper?

My Minimalist-ish Journal is filled with supportive prompts, reflections, and customizable space to reconnect with what really matters to you. It’s the perfect companion if you’re craving less chaos, and more clarity, and want to unlock what balanced spending truly looks like to you. It’s available now anywhere you buy your books like Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, Chapters Indigo, Amazon, and more. Grab it here and get started!

If this post resonated with you, I’d love it if you shared it with a friend or on social media. You can tag me on Instagram @christina.mychas and check me out on YouTube! I always love seeing what lands with you.

Til next time,

xx Christina

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Christina Mychas Christina Mychas

Discovering Your Signature Style

How to discover your own signature style

Have you ever noticed that the most stylish people tend to be outfit repeaters? That’s right. Next time you see your favorite celebrity, influencer or even a really chic stylish friend you know, if you really look closely, then I think you’ll find they have that in common. They tend to stick to a few select outfit formulas, and essentially rinse and repeat that formula with different pieces to create different looks. This is genius, because not only does it make getting dressed and even shopping for new items easier, but it creates a look that you become known for. 

Once you see this, you won’t be able to unsee it

I want to show you how the most effortlessly stylish people are the ones who always seem to have a signature style uniform. Take Laura Harrier for example. She is well known for having minimal, effortless and chic style, and chances are she’s shown up on your Pinterest inspo board more than once. But if you take a closer look at enough of her street style photos, you’ll notice they almost always have the same few key elements: 

  • minimalist dress + simple shoe and accessories

See? Of course she might be wearing different pieces in each of her outfits, but the basic formula is pretty much always the same. Take any other style icon, celebrity or influencer and I guarantee you’ll notice this pattern. 

Pics of more outfit repeaters here:

Why Outfit Repeating Makes You More Stylish 

I have a theory on why outfit repeaters are actually the most stylish. It’s because it’s simple. 

No, this doesn’t mean you wear the same thing every single day, although you can do that a la Steve Jobs. It does make getting dressed everyday easier for sure. But you probably clicked on this blog post because you enjoy fashion, you enjoy getting dressed and your clothes feel like an extension of your vibe and personality. So you want variety and the occasional new piece in your closet, and that’s totally okay. The Style Uniform is the way to do it! 

But you know when people say “Oh, that’s such a YOU piece!”? It’s because you’ve worn it often enough that people start to associate it with you. Like Jane Birkin’s straw basket bags, or Jenna Lyons’ signature glasses and red lip. 

This is the absolute KEY to finding your signature style, and exactly HOW you achieve that “effortless” vibe that everyone always talks about, but often struggle to achieve. It’s effortless because it’s familiar and you can rely on it time and time again. It’s your Style Uniform! You know exactly the types of pieces you love that make you feel amazing, and you simply rinse and repeat those pieces to maintain some variety in your style. 

I hope you’re starting to see how and why outfit repeaters and those who know their signature style uniforms are perceived as being the most stylish. So now you’re thinking: okay, now HOW do I find my own signature style uniform?

I made a really simple Notion template that will help you hone in on your own Style Uniform in 7 days - you can get it right here! 

But if you want more detail, keep reading.

How To Find Your Style Uniform in 7 Days 

1. Audit Your Life 

Keep track of where you need to go and what you usually do everyday. We often think our lives are made up of the big events, but it’s really the daily routines and habits we repeat time and again that make up our lives. Pay attention to where you go the most, and how you need to dress when you go there. Do this as organically as you can (aka: don’t try too hard or it will skew your results!) - what do you actually wear when you’re going through your days? 

2. Find The Common Threads  

Every time you get dressed this week, take a selfie and put it in a folder called “Style Uniform Challenge”. After a week, write down the most common elements you notice in your daily outfits. What do they have in common? Do you prefer to wear one-pieces like dresses and jumpsuits? Or are you primarily a jeans and a t-shirt person? Is there a color palette you notice? Do you like to layer? Maybe you prefer sneakers over loafers. Break down the common themes and you notice here. If you want a more structured approach, check out my Style Uniform Template HERE!

3. Break Down Your Outfit Formulas

Now that you’ve broken down your favourite items in your wardrobe, write down 1-3 outfit formulas that you can rely on next time you’re getting dressed. You already know these items work for you in these exact combinations, so you can always lean on them next time you’re feeling stumped on what to wear. 

Some outfit formula examples are: 

  • Jeans + t-shirt + blazer + slim sneakers 

  • Button down shirt + jeans + flats 

  • Tank top + oversized blazer + track pants + flats

  • Dress + cardigan + loafer 

  • Graphic tee + flowy skirt + sneakers 

Rinse and Repeat 

Now that you know your favorite items in your wardrobe AND the combinations that always feel good for you, you can begin getting dressed and outfit repeating with ease! 

You’ve now got your Base Outfit Formula ready to go, but remember you can play with these combinations! Do some Style Math.

If you learned that you love to layer and prefer separates over dresses, play around with some fun color combinations, textures and silhouettes to keep your Style Uniform dynamic and interesting. It’s exactly how you can still be an outfit repeater without getting bored, all while making fewer shopping mistakes in the process. 

And if you need some more guidance on how to define your Signature Style Uniform, take the 7 day challenge I created HERE!

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