5 Surprising Reasons You’re Suddenly Broke

You’ve learned from experience that shopping for food on an empty stomach is a bad idea. (Nothing like handing empty bags of chips to the cashier.)

But buying clothes when you’re hungry is even worse for your wallet, finds recent research from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Feeling hungry fires up your brain’s “acquisition” system, the study authors say. Think of it as your “I need something” reflex: Even though the thing you need is food, that reflex makes you more likely to spend money on non-food items, the study shows


So grab a snack before you head to the mall or fire up your laptop to find new threads. And beware these other surprising reasons for your overspending:

1. YOUR ROOM IS MESSY
A disorganized environment—like your desk at work or your computer room at home—taxes your brainpower and results in a loss of impulse control. That loss of control makes you more likely to buy stuff, shows a study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

2. YOU’RE SAD
If you’re feeling blue, you’ll spend up to four times more than you would if you were feeling “neutral,” finds a report in Psychological Science.

Your sense of self-worth drops when you’re down, the study authors says. And new purchases may seem more attractive or valuable when your mind is in that melancholy state.

3. THE SUN IS OUT
A little sun brightens your mood, which in turn leads you to spend more than you would if—again—you were feeling “neutral” emotions, shows research from Canada.

Wait!, you say. How can both sadness and happiness be linked to overspending? The Canadian study authors say sunny feelings lead you to worry less about your spending decision

3. YOU'RE SHOPPING ALONE 
People tend to form an “emotional attachment” to their favorite stores. This attachment leads them to spend more than they would if they were visiting an unfamiliar spot, shows a study in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Service.

But that emotional attachment disappears if you’re shopping with a friend, which results in less spending and fewer impulse purchases.

5. YOU’VE BEEN HANGING OUT ON FACEBOOK
Interacting with close friends on Facebook boosts your self-esteem. And that self-esteem uptick hurts your self-control—especially while shopping, shows a study from Columbia University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The research shows people who spent time on social media were more likely to make purchases immediately afterward.
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Article Source: http://www.menshealth.com/guy-wisdom/weird-reasons-you-overspend/slide/5