This research explores how self-regulatory resources influence impulse buying. Three experiments were conducted to investigate whether depletion of self-regulatory resources leads to increased impulsive spending. Participants were divided into groups with either depleted or intact self-regulatory resources. Those with depleted resources showed stronger urges to buy, were willing to spend more, and actually spent more money in unanticipated situations. These participants were equally influenced by affective and cognitive factors when making purchases, buying products high on both factors at equal rates. Modern Western societies have increased opportunities for impulse spending due to technological advancements that allow immediate purchases. Recent data suggest that impulse buying has increased, with high levels of household debt relative to disposable income. Impulse buying is often driven by affective states, such as pleasure, and can be a response to negative moods. Hoch and Loewenstein (1991) proposed that impulse buying results from a conflict between desire and willpower, where desire for a product outstrips intentions not to buy. Prior research has focused on factors influencing desire for goods, such as physical proximity and sensory inputs. In contrast, this study focuses on the role of self-control in impulsive spending. Previous work showed that being controlled (as opposed to impulsive) is negatively related to impulse buying. However, these studies lacked manipulated variables, leaving open alternate explanations. This study directly tested the causal role of self-control in impulse buying at the "state" level. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to watch a video and either focus on or avoid irrelevant words. Those in the attention control condition were more likely to spend more money on products. In Experiment 2, participants were asked to suppress thoughts of a white bear, leading to increased impulsive spending. The results showed that participants with higher buying impulsiveness scores spent more money when their self-regulatory resources were depleted. In Experiment 3, participants were asked to read aloud with exaggerated expressions, leading to increased impulsive spending. The results showed that participants with higher buying impulsiveness scores spent more money when their self-regulatory resources were depleted. The study also found that the type of product (healthy or unhealthy) did not influence impulsive spending, suggesting that self-regulatory resource depletion affects spending regardless of product type. The findings support the idea that self-regulatory resource availability predicts whether people can resist impulse buying temptations. The study highlights the importance of self-control in determining impulsive buying behavior and suggests that temporary reductions in self-regulatory capacity lead to stronger impulsive buying tendencies. The results also indicate that affective and cognitive factors are equally influential in impulsive buying, and that self-regulatory resource depletion affects spending regardless of product type.This research explores how self-regulatory resources influence impulse buying. Three experiments were conducted to investigate whether depletion of self-regulatory resources leads to increased impulsive spending. Participants were divided into groups with either depleted or intact self-regulatory resources. Those with depleted resources showed stronger urges to buy, were willing to spend more, and actually spent more money in unanticipated situations. These participants were equally influenced by affective and cognitive factors when making purchases, buying products high on both factors at equal rates. Modern Western societies have increased opportunities for impulse spending due to technological advancements that allow immediate purchases. Recent data suggest that impulse buying has increased, with high levels of household debt relative to disposable income. Impulse buying is often driven by affective states, such as pleasure, and can be a response to negative moods. Hoch and Loewenstein (1991) proposed that impulse buying results from a conflict between desire and willpower, where desire for a product outstrips intentions not to buy. Prior research has focused on factors influencing desire for goods, such as physical proximity and sensory inputs. In contrast, this study focuses on the role of self-control in impulsive spending. Previous work showed that being controlled (as opposed to impulsive) is negatively related to impulse buying. However, these studies lacked manipulated variables, leaving open alternate explanations. This study directly tested the causal role of self-control in impulse buying at the "state" level. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to watch a video and either focus on or avoid irrelevant words. Those in the attention control condition were more likely to spend more money on products. In Experiment 2, participants were asked to suppress thoughts of a white bear, leading to increased impulsive spending. The results showed that participants with higher buying impulsiveness scores spent more money when their self-regulatory resources were depleted. In Experiment 3, participants were asked to read aloud with exaggerated expressions, leading to increased impulsive spending. The results showed that participants with higher buying impulsiveness scores spent more money when their self-regulatory resources were depleted. The study also found that the type of product (healthy or unhealthy) did not influence impulsive spending, suggesting that self-regulatory resource depletion affects spending regardless of product type. The findings support the idea that self-regulatory resource availability predicts whether people can resist impulse buying temptations. The study highlights the importance of self-control in determining impulsive buying behavior and suggests that temporary reductions in self-regulatory capacity lead to stronger impulsive buying tendencies. The results also indicate that affective and cognitive factors are equally influential in impulsive buying, and that self-regulatory resource depletion affects spending regardless of product type.