8 Ways to Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need 8 Ways to Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need Retailers excel at convincing us to spend money on wants and impulse purchases. Here's how to fight back. Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock.com Retailers are exceptional at getting us to part with our hard-earned dollars — even for stuff we don’t need. When your favorite store slashes prices or makes it all too easy to purchase something — hello, Amazon Prime — it may be understandable if you occasionally succumb to the instant gratification of an impulse buy. But if your spending has gotten out of control or you’ve resolved to buy less, then these strategies can help.