Finance Writers Share Regrets From Prime Days Past

Amazon’s well-known Prime Day sale is back this summer, running July 8-11

As I look back on my previous years covering and shopping the deals, I’ve noticed a pattern: There’s a lot of hype leading up to the sale, but I’m left feeling a bit dissatisfied when it’s over

The blem isn’t always the deals themselves, but how I shop

I’ve let temptation and the fear of missing out get the better of me

And I know I’m not the only one

So, I asked a couple of my fellow personal finance writers to join me in sharing our biggest Prime Day blunders

What is your biggest Prime Day regret

Cordless LED table lampAmanda Barroso: “It was cute for an hour, then it lost its charge

The lamp was not on my list, but I had seen a lot of people in my social media s linking to similar ducts

I wish I returned it but I waited too late and missed the return window

So, now it's sitting in a donate pile waiting to go to my local thrift store. ”Unplanned itemsLauren Schwahn: “Last year, I had my eye on a Yoto Mini audio player for my son’s upcoming birthday

But I got caught up in browsing other deals

I was in the market for some kind of TV speaker, but it's not me to spend that much

Amazon dangled a bunch of deals in front of me, I got caught up in the hype of the sale and told myself it was OK to spend hundreds on a random day in October. ”What did you learn

It’s important to prepare for returns

Amanda Barroso: “Just because influencers make something look useful or cute on social media doesn't mean it's true or worth your money

I'm still willing to try some things, but I'm always checking to make sure an item is sold and shipped by Amazon to make for easy returns

And I'm keeping the packaging for items this for a couple of weeks just to be sure. ”Sticking to a list is best

Lauren Schwahn: “A discount alone isn’t a good enough reason to buy something

If an item isn’t on my list, it bably doesn’t belong in my cart

And if I’ve never heard of the brand before, it’s bably best to avoid it

I’ve had my fair of quality issues with impulse buys

This year, I’m going to focus on items that I truly need and ignore the deals that Amazon throws my way. ”It’s easy to let excitement cloud your judgment

Tommy Tindall: “I'm just as impressionable and influenced by hype as everyone else

I hated myself for spending that much on one item, and had that thing back in the box not even an hour after I had opened it and set it up

I sent the soundbar back mptly, and decided not to let a made-up sale holiday incite unnecessary overspending again. ”How to avoid regrettable choices this Prime Day Buyer’s remorse happens to the best of us

But with a little preparation, you might be spared this year

Here’s what you can learn from our past missteps:Don’t shop just because there’s a sale

It’s hard not to get sucked into Prime Day and competing sales

But there’s no shame in sitting them out if you don’t need anything right now

If you are going to check out the sales, come prepared

Plan out what to buy ahead of time, and consider saving the items you want in your shopping cart

This can reduce the temptation to browse on sale day

Set a budget for impulse buys

If you don’t want to give up browsing the deals entirely, set a spending limit just for spontaneous purchases

Pick an amount you’d be comfortable parting with if you’re unable to make a return

Read duct pages carefully

Check out item descriptions, specs and reviews to better set expectations

Look for shipping and return policy details, too

Stick to reputable brands, when possible, and vet third party sellers carefully

The authorLauren SchwahnLauren is a personal finance writer at NerdWallet

Her work has been by USA Today and The Associated Press