How to control impulse shopping.

I cannot tell you how many times I have been in a store and found something that "I just had to have".  I bought this item and took it home with great joy and excitement.  After being home for a while, I looked at this item and realized that I didn't really "have to have it" and / or just really could not afford it.  If you are anything like me, then you know that this happens more often than any of us want to admit.  Ok, let's be honest for a moment.  Sometimes shopping just makes us feel good for a while.  I know a woman that has bought so many things over the years just for the thrill of owning it for a while.  Later she returns the items for a number of reasons.  This is not a good habit to get ourselves into.  Therefore, how do we get ourselves to purchase what we really "have to have" and not to make a purchase out of impulse?

If we don't want to get home and know that this was a bad purchase choice and end up either returning it or knowing that we should return it then we need to make a change.  This is what I do in these cases.

#1.  Always shop from a list.  There isn't as much of a chance to purchase an item if it isn't on the list.  So, stick to the list.

#2.  Only take enough money to purchase what is on the list.  It is so much easier if you only take money for what you went to the store to purchase.

#3.  Pay with cash.  I have found that when I purchase an item with cash then my mind feels the sting of the purchase much more than it does with a credit card.  Using credit cards for me is like borrowing from someone else and hoping that you will not have to repay it.  You do have to repay it, and this part can really add up in charges.

#4.  Give yourself time to think about your purchases.  On big items, I like to wait a day or so and if I still want it and it fits in my budget then I can go back and make the purchase with glee not guilt. 

Ok, this is how I save myself from making an impulsive purchase.  What tips do you have to control your impulse shopping?