With the difficult economic conditions of today, being a careful consumer and sticking to a budget that is more important than ever. However, consumers believe they are completely under control when making purchasing decisions. A growing number of studies say otherwise.

"We are more attracted by external factors when shopping than we think we are," said Martin Lindstrom, a marketing expert and author of Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy. "And the more on top of the world, the consumer feels when entering a retail store, the less likely they are, because they let their guards down."

However, Lindstrom and others have found that when you choose to approach the cash register, a wide range of unseen factors in the store and in our own head has probably influenced our decision to buy and how much we spend. Here is a list of factors identified by the experts and recent studies rashes or to highlight some of the lesser known factors that influence our spending.

· Shopping While hunger: Many studies have shown that consumers buy more food when hungry, but this can be extended to other purchases as well. Buyers of hunger can have a greater appetite for the purchase of goods. Some shops are scattered aromas of vanilla and cinnamon to make you feel hungrier.

· Shopping with your partner: Go shopping with your spouse or partner can appeal to both pick up the items that would otherwise have overlooked. "You start to inspire others to make a purchase. The first person who needed the item, but the other may press for it," Lindstrom said. "You are much more likely to have a fight, because you do not agree on a certain product, and as a result are more likely to buy that product to get to the other party to stop complaining."

• How religious are secular Buyers can spend more than their religious counterparts. Research by Fitzsimons and his colleagues interviewed more than 1,000 consumers, the search for those with less religion in their lives were more likely to accept brand products as a means to express their identity. While consumers who identify themselves as more religious were less of a desire to find other ways to express themselves, and therefore were more likely to purchase generics. The result is that buyers spend more on branded products.

· State of mind: Many studies have found consumers are more likely to spend more when they feel sad, because they are desperate to meet their wishes and encouragement to themselves.

But if you feel a greater amount of pride, they are also more likely to want more pleasant, elegant products like watches or shoes that allow you to show a little. When consumers are satisfied with life are more likely to purchase accessories for your home such as dishwashers, beds and comfortable clothes to lounge around the house.

· Shopping counterclockwise: Study shows it feels more natural for us to walk counterclockwise around an area. When we walk in the direction of the clock, we feel a little uncomfortable, and is likely to leave the store before.

Serving Size Shopping: The larger the car, the more likely that you will buy more. Ten things may seem much to buy when they are filled with a small basket in place when they occupy a small space in a great car.

• Your name: One study showed that the further back in the alphabet of the name of the falls, most have become conditioned to be at the end of the line. Teachers, event planners, and anyone else with a list of names will be organized in alphabetical order. This often means that the person whose last name begins with Z are left with fewer options.

As a result, when this person gets older, more likely to compensate for lost opportunities, trying to be one of the first to buy a new product. Those whose last names begin with A or B may be less interested in being among the first, and can bear to wait any longer.

· Genetics: A study in 2010 found that the degree you are willing to give up on purchases, prefer luxury goods or are likely to play may be based on the genes. The study was based on identical and fraternal twins and found similarities in their choices in these categories of purchases.

Knowing that these disparities exist and may influence your purchase to help curb spending and actually give you more control on how to buy.