5 Sneaky Reasons You're Spending More Than You Want To
New research reveals surprising traps we fall into when we take out our wallets.
By Lynn Andriani
You Want a Big Return on Your Investment
Long lines are a funny thing—they can frustrate us ("Forty-five minutes for a cookie?"), intrigue us ("Those cookies must be amazing!") and, new findings show, influence how much we end up buying ("I'll take 12."). A recent study by researchers at Georgetown University found that when people spend a longer time waiting in a line, their consumption—whether of cookies, tech gadgets or deeply discounted books—tends to increase, perhaps because they feel they need a reward after putting in so much time waiting. To avoid overspending, decide exactly what you're going to buy, or how much you're going to spend, before you queue up.
Published 10/03/2017