More than one-third of shoppers spent at least $250 on an unplanned purchase within the last three months, with the median cost hovering around $500, according to the results of a recently released survey. As for true emergencies, shoppers often face even bigger bills.
By the numbers:
- Frequency and cost: About 36% of respondents said they made an impulse purchase of at least $250 in the last three months, with a median spend of $497. Meanwhile, 35% of consumers reported an emergency expenditure of at least $250 in the past year, with the median reaching $605.
- Categories: Auto parts (roughly 37% impulse, 43% emergency) and home maintenance or repair items (28% impulse, 34% emergency) were top unplanned buys. Appliances, groceries, and clothing also figured prominently, though groceries and clothing tended to have lower median price points.
- Payment methods: Credit cards ranked as the primary funding source for both impulse (35%) and emergency (33%) purchases. BNPL came second among credit options, used by nearly 1 in 10 respondents for unplanned spending. Around 4 in 10 opted for readily available cash, whether a debit card or bank account.
- Credit behavior: Of those paying by credit card, about half planned to pay off impulse buys at the next statement. Roughly 30% reported using installment plans, especially prominent among younger consumers (e.g., Gen Z and millennials). For emergencies, revolving balances and issuer-offered installments were more common.
- Demographics: Younger shoppers — Gen Z, millennials, and bridge millennials — were most likely to make impulse purchases, with nearly half reporting a recent unplanned buy of $250 or more. Parents with children at home showed similar tendencies. Baby boomers consistently had the lowest rates of such spending.
Conclusions:
