Bored? You’re lucky to have the extra time that many people don’t have. But your boredom may be costing your money.

Do you often find yourself roaming the mall aimlessly after work? Do you kill time at home by filling up online shopping carts? When these activities become a habit, you may be racking hundreds of dirhams every month on eating out, picking up random purchases, etc. All of this will eventually be hurting your wallet.

Find some entertainment that doesn’t cost you a fortune — or little money that can add up to significant saving. Just like you may be wise enough to avoid snacking and overeating to fill your free time, wasting money on unproductive activities and unnecessary purchases is nothing more than instant gratification.

Aside from the philosophical argument about the need to find internal sources of happiness, your finances may become in a much better situation if you avoid these habits. And you may be able to save enough to buy an actual, valuable reward — like a big-ticket item, a vacation, etc.

So how can you curb your poor spending habits? Here are a few points to start.

Have a plan

The desire to fill free, unproductive time is the biggest motive behind these behaviours. If you don’t have a plan for what you do after work or in the weekends, you’re more likely to slip into boredom. People who structure their evenings with productive routines and activities are more likely to stay on track.

So although you may be tired after a long day at the office, you still have enough time to attend a class, go to the gym, do some home chores, see friends, read books, etc. Some of these activities may cost some money, but the cost isn’t even comparable to what you will end up paying if you randomly try to find something to do every evening. In addition, this cost will probably be budgeted, so you should be able to pick activities that are within your means.

A friend or a spouse could probably keep you on track as you navigate your evening and weekend activities. Share with this person the underlying financial goal, as well, because this knowledge will help you both avoid additional situations where spending is inevitable.

Avoid impulse shopping

Make a 24-hour rule: If you see something you like today, you buy it tomorrow. Although many websites and stores may make you feel like today’s offer is exceptional, it probably isn’t. And if it is gone by tomorrow, it will probably come back. So don’t feel rushed to buy something now simply because it appears to be a bargain.

This rule also will help you take time to reconsider if you need this item at all. For example, a new purse may be really cool, especially if it comes at a discounted price, but did you really want a new one? Getting home and finding out that you’re totally fine with the collection that you have may be the reality check that you need.

Look for reasons

Boredom may not be the only cause of your action. You may prefer to eat out simply because your cooking is disappointing or because you’re so tired at the end of the day that you don’t feel like trying to figure out dinner. If you know that is the reason, a little bit of internet research can produce easy recipes for professionals who are in your shoes. Couple this with some meals that can be stored in the freezer, and you probably have got enough dinners for the entire week.

This is just one example. But there are many situations where you can find that once you pin down the causes, you may find that your solutions are almost common sense. You only need to be honest, and move away from thinking of yourself as helpless. You’re in charge of your money, and you’re capable of managing this money to the best of your interest.

The writer, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.