Consumers can be cued to spend more through a series of simple “priming” questions. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research split subjects into two groups. One was asked a series of questions about the contents of their wallets: Did they have any library cards? Did they carry pictures or cash? How many other wallets did they own? The other was asked about their financial portfolio.

The group primed to think about their wealth spent an average of 36% more. So then, if you want to curb your spending, before entering the store, spend a few moments visualizing the contents of your wallet!

It’s How Much You Think You Have [NYT]
(Photo: Getty)

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