Make a list.

Make a list. Whether you're buying groceries or gifts, spur-of-the-moment impulses are your enemy. Some experts estimate that 20 percent of grocery purchases and roughly 40 percent of retail purchases are the result of impulse buys. To curb those desires, make a list before you go shopping and stick to it. If you're tempted to buy something on impulse, force yourself to go home and think about it. If you're still set on the item later, you can always put it on next week's list, Huffstetler said. Estimated savings here depend on how impulsive you are, but she thinks even the marginally impulsive would blow $20 a week, or just over $1,000 a year.