Problem: You overspend

Solutions: Pay cash. It's a lot harder to purchase a $200 jersey dress if you have to count out every $20 bill you give to the cashier, rather than pulling out a credit card. Hit the ATM before you go shopping, and vow not to spend any more than you take out, says David Bach, author of Smart Women Finish Rich: 9 Steps to Achieving Financial Security and Funding Your Dreams (Broadway, $15, www.amazon.com).

Take a breather. Before making a big purchase, exit the store. Once you've escaped the enticing lighting and persuasive salespeople, you may very well realize that, no, you don't need that tie-dye tunic after all.

Avoid "buy one, get the second one half off" sales. "Do the math. You're not getting that great a deal — about 25 percent off," says Jona Kessans, a former department-store supervisor. If the item is $50, you'll wind up spending $75 total, as opposed to $100. "That, and you're probably buying two of something you don't need to double up on," says Kessans. "You're better off waiting until merchandise is marked down by 30 percent."

Visit less affluent areas for sale merchandise. Ritzier areas are more likely to sell out of an item before it has a chance to go on sale. "Wealthy people are generally more likely to buy items at full price than to wait for them to go on sale," says Tara Makarechi, a former salesperson. So if you live in an affluent area but still appreciate a bargain, visit a neighborhood that has less traffic or a community that is less posh.

Do an inventory of what you already own before you stock up on the new season's merchandise. Although fall fashions beckon, once you realize how many Fair Isle sweaters you have, you may be less tempted to buy a new one. On the same note, "never go shopping when your closet is empty because most of your clothes are dirty," says Amanda Ford, author of Retail Therapy: Life Lessons Learned While Shopping (Conari Press, $15, www.amazon.com). "You might lament that you have nothing to wear and go shopping without realizing that you have all you need. You just need to do your laundry."