Are you guilty of “Spaving”? I know I am.

Are you guilty of “Spaving”? I know I am. Big time spaver. Guilty as charged.

With the quick commerce platforms booming through the retail skies at an alarming speed and technology seeping into each and everything that we do, retail is having a gala of a time penetrating our wallets and bank accounts. Sadly in many cases, its also making us swipe that credit card and Kachingg!; money that we haven't earned yet is also gone. And the silent epidemic that’s slow poisoning our savings is “Spaving”.

Ah, the electrifying thrill of snagging a stellar deal! It's like a treasure hunt but without the pirates and a lot more hashtags. Whether it's Instagram dazzling you with irresistible bargains or quick commerce tempting you with sweet discounts or that up to 50% off on your favorite brands, the allure of a great deal is ever-present. Social media and the internet has turned our screens into a perpetual bazaar where delightful discounts are always just a swipe away. It’s like having a 24/7 carnival of deals dancing at your fingertips, ready to bring a burst of joy.

"Spaving," a blend of "spending" and "saving," is essentially a marketing strategy that encourages consumers to spend more money in order to access savings. While businesses pad their bottom line all the while making us believe that we have saved a ton of money, it is a seemingly win-win situation.

The keyword being “seeming”. As enticing, seducing even, the offer might be, at the end of the day its a psychological warfare on consumers’ minds. Tricks and tactics to make us believe that we are saving, all the while making us spend more than our budget, ultimately overspending and overextending our capacity to spend. And here, to add more fuel to the fire, the buy now pay later, personal loans and credit card shaped mermaids are just waiting to seduce you even further into spending more. And thus making our lives teeming with potential financial pitfall at every swipe, every tap and every click.

Common tactics:

• Buy one, get one (BOGO):

  BOGO deals usually show up as buying one item at full price and getting another similar item at a discount. Sure, you save on that second item, but let's be honest—you probably wouldn't have considered buying it without the deal dangling in front of you. These savvy promotions entice shoppers to buy more by offering free products when multiple items are purchased. However, it's crucial to assess your total spending and consider if buying extra items truly benefits you in the long haul.

  Picture this: You stroll into your neighborhood supermarket, craving those sweet, juicy mangoes. Typically, you'd shell out around ₹150 for a kilogram (give or take, no promises). But then, you spot a wild deal! This store's marked their mangoes at ₹200 per kilo, but they're throwing in a "Buy One Get One" offer. Essentially, you get two kilos of mangoes for ₹200. Sounds like a win, right?

  Now, on paper, snagging two kilos for ₹200 beats paying ₹240 for the same amount elsewhere. However, reality check: mangoes don't exactly have a long shelf life. If you can't devour two kilos before they go bad, you're stuck with a fruity fiasco. Plus, you could be blowing an extra ₹80 on your grocery bill—cash you might prefer to save or spend on other goodies. In a world where every rupee counts, sometimes less is more.

  So, the moral of the mango tale? Even with a tempting BOGO offer, consider your actual needs and budget.

• Free Shipping Thresholds:

  Ah, the irresistible allure of free shipping—a modern-day siren call that lures us all into adding "just one more thing" to our online shopping carts. It's like the age-old quest for the Holy Grail, but instead of eternal life, we're chasing the sweet, sweet satisfaction of not paying for delivery.

  Picture this: You've found the perfect pair of T-Shirt, and they're already in your cart. But wait—free shipping kicks in at ₹2,000, and you're ₹499 short. Oh, the agony! But fear not, because this is where the fun begins. You embark on a journey through the digital aisles, adding a quirky mug here, a scented candle there, and maybe even that cactus-shaped lamp you've had your eye on for ages.

  Before you know it, your cart is bursting at the seams with a delightful assortment of knick-knacks and novelties you didn't even know you needed. And as you triumphantly hit the "Proceed to Checkout" button, a sense of victory washes over you. You've outsmarted the system—or so you think.

  In reality, you've just fallen prey to the clever psychology of retail marketing. But hey, who can resist the thrill of free shipping and the joy of unboxing all those unexpected treasures? It's like a mini Christmas morning every time a package arrives at your doorstep.

• Highlighting Scarcity & Social Proof

  Retailers are notorious for tagging items as "Trending Now," "Most Popular," or "Best Seller". This makes the shopper trust that specific product more, creating a pseudo good vibe about the product and makes them feel the need to snag it before it’s gone.

  And the infamous “39 people are looking at the product right now!” besides a buzzing “Add to cart” button. It creates a sense of urgency that forces the shopper to take quick decisions without thinking things through and softly validates it.

  Seeing influencers or friends on social media posting their “haul” from a sale promotes the idea that others have gained amazing deals. This influences viewers to follow suit and shop for similar discounts.

  These are some few tactics that’s applied on us each and everyday, starting from groceries to big ticker purchases.

Downside of Spaving:

• Overspending and Budget Blowouts

  When was the last time we went to the grocery store and came back with exactly what we needed? or opened our favorite quick commerce app and ordered exactly the three things that we needed?

  Spaving often encourages impulse buying. Sales and discounts create a psychological trigger, making you believe you're getting a deal. However, you may purchase items you don't need or didn't plan for, leading to unnecessary expenses and a drained wallet.

• Clutter Accumulation

  That cute throw pillow or that nice coffee mug that you just had to have? Why are they sitting, gathering dust in the closet? And why every room in our house has some kind of clutter? When spaving becomes frequent, clutter accumulates. Without the real need for something, we just buy things to use on a later day or “one day”. That day almost never comes as our house becomes a storage facility for unused or rarely used items. From gadgets to clothes and décor, the excess can make your space feel overwhelming and disorganized.

• Missed Opportunity to Save for Priorities

  Money spent on spaving could have gone toward important goals like investing, paying off debts, or saving for the future. A little here and a little there adds up, potentially derailing long-term financial plans.

• Emotional Spending Habits

  Fear of missing out (FOMO) or the thrill of scoring a bargain becomes addictive in no time and the cycle of emotional spending continues, reducing financial discipline and making it harder to break out of the cycle.

How to avoid it?

This might sound boring but in this regard, boring is good. We are being nudged on a constant basis to do something exciting, to buy that to experience that, but sometimes we just need to say no.

• Sticking to a budget

  A clear monthly budget with a healthy allocation for discretionary spending will help in weaning off the spaving band wagon. Going cold turkey can work for few but most of us need to slowly taper off. If entertainment budget is INR2000 then stick to it. Resist that urge to buy that expensive popcorn. You can creating a disciplined mind.

• Make a list

  Prepare a list of items you need before heading to stores or shopping online. Stay focused on the essentials. Ask yourself twice if its truly needed before putting it down in the cart.

• Wait and observe your feeling towards a product

  Sleep on it. While buying non-essential items, wait a day or two. Think about the use case of the product. How will you use it and how often will you use it? If you can answer the questions satisfactorily and still want it then buy it. Bookmark it and visit the website later. Before buying, ask yourself, Do I need this or simply want it because it's on sale? Do you truly need a fifth pair of sneakers, even if it’s 50% off?

• Evaluate Value, Not Discounts

  Sure, that coffee maker is available at INR 10,000 whose regular price is INR 15,000. But if you are not a person who likes to make their own coffee then why even bother? - it wouldn’t be saving rather than wasting. Focus on whether you genuinely need an item rather than how good the discount is. Avoid sale browsing unless you're shopping for specific planned purchases. If there's an end-of-season sale, only search for items you already intended to buy.

• Research Before You Buy

  Look for product reviews or alternatives rather than buying something just because it's on sale. Ensure you're getting quality and value. Instead of buying trendy discounted headphones, research long-lasting models even if they're slightly more expensive.

• Emotional Spending

  I am guilty of this all the time. Something just eases me and takes my mind off of things when I am scrolling through products. Avoid shopping when you're stressed or bored, as emotions can drive impulsive buying decisions. Instead of diving into a sale for instant gratification, take a walk or call a friend for distraction.

• Think Long-Term Savings

  Every rupee you don’t spend on unnecessary items can go toward savings, investments, or other goals. Visualize the bigger picture. I understand that this is easy to say and difficult to actually do it when you are looking at the thing you want at 66% discount. But try pausing for a moment and think of the things that are more important to you in the long run and then weigh in on the decision.

This isn’t something you master overnight—or even in a week. There will be moments when you stumble; trust me, I know the feeling all too well. Just because I’ve researched it and am writing about it doesn’t mean I’ve perfected it. It’s a journey, and the first step is simply being aware of the challenge. But now, you’ve got the diagnosis and the tools to tackle it.

In the end, the thrill of saving can sometimes be an expensive illusion. The next time a tempting deal tries to pull you in, ask yourself—are you truly saving, or just spaving your way to regret?