If you have ever added an extra item to your cart just to get free shipping, you have fallen victim to what is known as "spaving." The term — literally a mashup of the words spending and saving — is defined as the act of "spending more to save more," said CNBC, and it's a sneaky yet "common pitfall" that many people unwittingly fall for.
While it might not seem like the worst thing in the world to spend a little bit extra to save some money, the reality is, you're still spending more than you had planned to. And over the long-term, said CNBC, spaving can "lead to excessive buying habits and high-interest credit card debt if you aren't careful, according to consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch."
What does it mean to spave?
When you spave, you spend more money under the auspices of saving.
This can appear in many guises. For instance, this could be taking advantage of "'buy one, get one free' or tacking on additional items to get a bigger discount or simply to reach the free shipping threshold," said CNBC.
Or, said HuffPost, it might be as simple as "buying things that you don't really need just to get a good deal." Often, said Woroch to HuffPost, "sales create a sense of urgency with buzzy terms like 'one day only,' 'limited time,' 'daily deal' and 'flash sale,'" all of which can lead shoppers to "feel like they'll waste a rare opportunity if they don't pounce."
Why is spaving actually a spending trap?
"The problem with spaving is that it can trick you into spending more in order to receive a certain savings benefit in return," said Jacqueline Howard, the head of money wellness at Ally Bank, in an interview with HuffPost.
If, for example, you are spending an extra $30 on a top to save $5.95 on shipping, you are not exactly coming out ahead in the end.
The other trap with spaving is that you may end up purchasing through sales that "often come with limited or nonexistent return policies," said HuffPost. So even if you see the light later and realize the item was not actually that great, you may end up stuck with it — and unable to undo the impact to your wallet.
How can you avoid spaving?
Steering clear of the trap of spaving largely comes down to interrupting the impulse. Here are some tips and tricks you might turn to next time you are tempted to spend a little more just to secure some savings:
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Take a second to do the math. The language of advertising may lead you to believe you are about to get a great deal — but the cold, hard numbers don't lie. For example, "for some 'buy more, save more' deals, the percent discount is often the same but disguised as a greater value" — which you will quickly uncover if you crunch the numbers.
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Unenroll from sale alerts. You won't feel tempted to shop sales if you don't know about them. Consider taking yourself off of email lists from favorite brands so you are not getting alerted every time a special is happening. Similarly, don't walk into a store if you know there is a sale going on.
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Do not stray from your shopping list. You can also avoid adding extra items to your cart if you have a shopping list in hand that you've created ahead of time and that you don't allow yourself to stray from. This tactic can also help you use sales more to your advantage — "keep a full list of products that you intend to buy at some point and reference it when you come across a sale," said HuffPost.
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Pause before purchasing. You might also tear yourself away from the adspeak-induced shopping frenzy if you make yourself wait before clicking buy. One way to do this is by "implementing a 24-hour waiting period to confirm that you don’t have the item or something similar, as well as to shop around, compare prices or even look for a refurbished option," said HuffPost, based on its conversation with Woroch.