Let’s be honest, some shopping lists are more suggestions than commandments. You waltz into Target needing eggs and walk out with $112 worth of “fun stuff” like two throw pillows, and a shampoo that smells like a beach vacation you’re not even taking. Sound familiar? Enter: the Backwards List Hack. It’s part Jedi mind trick, part accountability buddy, and it actually works. Instead of writing down what you need, you make a list of the crap you always buy but probably shouldn’t. Here’s how this little reverse psychology shopping hack works and how to use it like a pro to stop impulse buying cold.
Step 1: Make a “Do Not Buy” List Before You Go
Before you shop, grab your usual list pad (or app) and flip the script.
Instead of “milk, bananas, lunch meat,” write this:
- Pre-cut fruit trays – You’re paying $7 for someone to slice a melon
- Any seasonal candle with “sunset” or “linen” in the name
- Greeting cards from the grocery store – Hit up Dollar Tree (still $1.25).
- Potato chips – we have 3 half eaten bags already
- Graphic tees from the clearance rack
- Kitchen gadgets I think I’ll use twice, max
- New pens (I own 47)
The above is my list and obviously yours will be different.
To be clear, you’re NOT saying you can’t buy them. You’re just “calling them out” before your brain justifies the heck out of them.
PRO TIP: EXAMINE OLD RECEIPTS
Go back through old receipts or Amazon orders for inspiration. You’ll find patterns fast.
If you bought a $6 lip gloss four different times in the last 2 months, guess what’s going on your Backwards List.
Step 2: Bring Both Lists to the Store
Yes, you CAN still bring a regular list. This isn’t a total free-for-all.
Tape them side by side, or put the “do not buy” list at the top in bold.
You want your eyes on it often. That way, when you’re in the dollar spot at Target or scrolling “Today’s Deals” on Amazon, your own handwriting whispers, Don’t do it, Kyle.
See Also: Try the “1 Box Combo” Grocery Shopping Trick
Step 3: Create a “24-Hour Cooldown Rule” for Anything That’s Not on Your Real List
Here’s where the real magic happens. See something shiny? Great. Now put it back and give yourself 24 hours.
Odds are, you won’t go back for it.
This rule works especially well online. Add it to your cart, but don’t buy. Let it sit. If you still want it after sleeping on it (and checking your bank account), then maybe it’s worth it.
PRO TIP: USE STICKY NOTES
Turn your backwards list into a sticky note warning label.
Write your top 3 impulse traps on a sticky note (physical or digital) and slap it right on your debit card, credit card, or even your phone case.
Seeing “NO MORE MUGS. NO MORE CANDLES. NO MORE CLEARANCE TEES” every time you go to swipe or tap? Instant guilt trip—free of charge.
Twist: Apply This to Costco and Amazon, Too
Costco Version: Keep a note on your phone titled “Things I Always Grab at Costco That Blow My Budget.” You know the ones…fancy cheeses, $40 sweatshirts, bulk-sized snacks you eat in three days.
You can still grab deals, but now you’re calling out the usual suspects before they sneak in your cart.
Amazon Version: Use the Save-for-Later feature like a quarantine zone for bad decisions.
Before checkout, glance at your Backwards List. If anything in your cart matches? Banish it to Save for Later. (Then forget about it forever.)
See Also: Over a Dozen Frugal Living Hacks That Are Easy
Out-of-the-Box Tips to Supercharge This Hack
Use a Note-Taking App With Checkboxes
Apps like Google Keep or Apple Notes let you check off items.
Make your “Do Not Buy” list with checkboxes and uncheck things if you actually need to override it—only with strong justification.
It turns guilt into a mini game.
Create a “Backwards Budget” Envelope
If you don’t buy any of the impulse stuff on your list, take the money you would’ve spent and toss it in a savings jar or “fun fund” envelope.
Call it the “I Didn’t Buy That” Bonus.
Flip It Monthly
Your weaknesses will rotate. July might be pool floats and outdoor rugs. December? Holiday mugs and novelty pajamas.
Keep the list fresh and seasonal. A stale Backwards List = a leaky shopping cart.
Share It With a Friend
Consider making this a group challenge. Text your friend your Backwards List before you shop, and have them do the same.
Afterward, check in: Did you cheat? What tempted you? Who caved first? Guilt is stronger when it has an audience.
PRO TIP: DO A “REVERSE HAUL” BEFORE YOU SHOP
Before your next trip, take 5 minutes to walk through your house and find 3 things you bought on impulse that are now just sitting there. Dusty air fryer? Unworn shoes? Board game still in shrink wrap?
Stack them somewhere visible and ask yourself: Do I need more stuff… or do I need to stop lying to myself in the clearance aisle? Spoiler: it’s probably the second one.
Why This Works (a Little Psychology for the Nerds in the Back)
Impulse buying is emotional. You’re not shopping from logic—you’re shopping from feelings: stress, boredom, FOMO, or “treat yo’ self” syndrome.
The Backwards List snaps your brain out of auto-pilot. It forces you to name your weaknesses before the store throws them in your face with a 20% off sticker.
It’s budgeting from the other direction—cutting bloat before it even starts.
Final Word
You don’t have to swear off candles, throw blankets, or whatever your personal kryptonite is. But you do need to know what those kryptonites are.
The Backwards List Hack is like installing bumpers on your spending habits. It won’t always stop you from going overboard—but it’ll slow you down just enough to ask, “Do I actually need this?”
(And if the answer is “no but it’s on sale,” you already know it’s going on next month’s list.)
Ask the Reader: Are you willing to try this “do not buy” trick? I suggest trying it a couple times and I really think your habits will quickly change.
By Kyle James
I started Rather-Be-Shopping.com in 2000 and have become a consumer expert and advocate writing about out-of-the-box ways to save at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco to name a few. I’ve been featured on FOX News, Good Morning America, and the NY Times talking about my savings tips. (Learn more)