 TITLE: How to Stop Impulse Spending Online CONTENT: Ways to Limit Online Spending\n-----------------------------\nIf you've realized your impulse spending has become problematic, there are plenty of strategies to help you get back on track:\n*   **Track your spending****.** When you don't have a grasp on how much you're spending, it's easy to be in denial. Tracking your purchases, and creating a thorough budget, can help you come to terms with how much you're really spending.\n*   **Reduce your access to spending.** With features like Amazon's one-click buying and PayPal or internet browsers storing our card numbers, it's now dangerously easy to make purchases without having to pause and get out our wallets. You could try removing your stored cards from your browser, PayPal and other shopping websites you frequent to add a barrier to the process. If you're forced to get up and get your card to make a purchase, that extra step and pause could help you realize you don't need it. If you tend to shop on certain apps, consider deleting those from your phone, or using apps that block your access to them at certain times.\n*   **Practice mindfulness.** Add a mindful moment before you buy something to check in with yourself: Think about whether you really need this item, and if there are emotions hidden underneath your urge to spend. Just forcing yourself to pause, whether by checking in with a loved one or giving yourself a 24-hour cooling off period to think it over, can help you decide whether the purchase is really necessary.\n*   **Work with a financial planner.** One solution could be to hire a financial planner, who can help you get on a budget and determine how much you can actually afford to spend on shopping. If you have a problem with debt, they can develop a plan to tackle it and create a financial strategy to help you reach your goals. Working with a professional can also help add a sense of accountability.\n*   **Address addictive shopping.** If you truly feel a compulsion to shop and are having trouble stopping on your own, Psychology Today recommends hiring a mental health professional who provides cognitive behavioral therapy. Discover Magazine notes group cognitive behavioral therapy or guided self-help can also be effective to help you work through the issue. END