You can guard against impulse shopping

Impulse shopping. Maybe it was a sudden craving or a two-for-one deal, but whatever — you splurged. And then the excitement wore off.

More often than not, impulse shopping brings nothing but clutter, credit card bills and stress, says Andrew J. Mellen, organizational coach and author of Unstuff Your Life. The first rule for avoiding unnecessary purchases is to make a list and stick to it, Mellen says. But for those of us who need a little extra help, here are some of his other tips:

Eat first. Shopping anywhere on an empty stomach makes you easily distracted and prone to making snap decisions. It's particularly dangerous, of course, at the grocery store.

Start at the rear of the store. “Go deep and then head for the exit,” Mellen says. Work toward the cash registers in a methodical way to help you save time and be less tempted to grab unnecessary items.

Stay alert and don't multitask. Shopping mindfully and deliberately will keep your focus on every item that goes in your cart.

Take a picture. Find something tempting? Snap a photo of it and think about it for a few days. If you still think it's worthwhile, return to buy it later.

Don't shop as therapy. Shopping emotionally is a surefire way to end up with buyer's remorse. Try calling a friend or writing in a journal instead.