It's two weeks before payday and you suddenly realise you have all of €50 left in your bank account. Cue a fortnight of Tesco Value meals, walking to work and checking EVERY pair of jeans you own for a stray fiver.

If this sounds like your life on a regular basis, the way you shop could be to blame

Here are a few bad habits to keep an eye out for next time you hit the shops… it's time to say goodbye to that mid-month money crisis!

1. You try too hard to keep up with celebs and style bloggers
Yes, we may spend the majority of our working day lusting over Taylor Swift's outfits but that doesn't mean we should be planning to replicate her look entirely with an all-out splurge in Brown Thomas. Celebrity fashion is a great source of inspiration, but always try to keep purchases well within your budget.

2. You shop now… and think later
That amazing winter coat might look absolutely stunning with your new leather boots, but it's not going to be quite so alluring when you're struggling to pay rent and bills next week. Try to keep track of your spending with an online banking app or simply by keeping receipts and taking note. Little purchases (or one big one) can soon add up to deplete your month's finances.

3. You shop by trend
Metallics and leopard print might be all over the catwalk this season but are they really necessary in your wardrobe? Your overall style (and your bank balance) will be much better off with a closet full of great basic pieces and one or two on-trend items, rather than a pile of one-season clothes that you know won't see the light of day after a couple of wears.

4. You buy a new outfit for every event
Night out with the girls? New outfit. Family dinner? New outfit. Work colleague's wedding? New outfit. Updating your wardrobe every time another social event comes around is a surefire way to run out of cash. Try on a few pieces at home, or borrow from a friend, before you go running off to Topshop in a panic.

5. You impulse buy
If you're anything like us, at least two thirds of your wardrobe consists of items you bought on a whim and will never wear, though you convince yourself you'll DEFINITELY need them some day. Next time you're tempted to impulse buy, step out of the shop and wait a day or two before making your decision. If you're still lusting after the item, maybe it's worth it. If not, well you've just saved yourself fifty quid!

6. You buy the same stuff over and over
"Yes but this is a SPECIAL pair of black skinny jeans." If your wardrobe is full of the same kind of items over and over, it might be time to shake up your spending habits. Go through all your duplicates, try them on and you'll soon realise you don't really need to buy seconds (or thirds) just yet.

7. You're a divil for online sales
When that 30% off email comes pinging into your inbox, it's as if the internet is calling out to you to spend, spend, spend. Wow, you had no idea you needed that gorgeous Zara dress that's now down to €80. Why? Well, because you probably DON'T need it.

8. You're a brand name snob
Okay, you make the odd trip to Penneys but aside from that you're a River Island/Oasis/Topshop fiend at heart. As for cheaper chain stores or budget shops, you'd never been seen dead buying something there. But the secret of the truly stylish among us is that they don't care where they buy their clothes as long as they fit well and look fab.

9. You shun charity shops
You can't bear the thought of shopping in Oxfam, but that vintage shop next door tempts you every time. Newsflash: they're pretty much the same thing. Yes, you'll have to root around the charity shop shelves for longer and you won't find something every time, but think how smug you'll feel when you walk out with that AMAZING dress/coat/shirt for a fraction of the price it should have been sold for!

10. You have no idea what's in your wardrobe
Unless you've moved house or had a spring clean recently, you probably have no idea what you'd find if you raided your own closet. Spend a few hours shopping your wardrobe next time you have the urge to hit the shops!