It's the beginning of October. That means that it's time to stop buying anything that isn't a true need. (And you need to be honest with yourself about what a need is. To assist: Toilet paper is a need. Cute suede boots are not a need.)

Most of us will be receiving Christmas presents. How will people be able to get you lovely presents if you've already bought yourself everything you want? One of the reasons that people find Christmas shopping so difficult is that they can't think of anything to buy someone that the recipients haven't already bought themselves.

This season is a good reason to step back from the instant gratification and practice a bit of patience and self-control. When you want something, don't buy it immediately. Instead, put it on your Christmas list. If you don't get it for Christmas, you can always pick it up in an after-Christmas sale. You might find that you don't want it quite as much as you thought you did (another reason to delay gratification).

Getting into the habit of waiting a while before buying what you want is a good habit to have — and not just at Christmas time.