The trick: You're minding your own business, and suddenly someone is trying to convince you that your day would be so much better if you'd just buy what they're selling.
Avoid those hard-sell offers or, chances are, you won't get a treat for your troubles, says Ric Edelman, author of "The Truth About Money."
Whether it's that store card that will save you 10 percent today, a free vacation for attending a time-share pitch or a nice lunch that comes with an investment opportunity for dessert, simply decline, says Edelman.
The treat: When you are being "offered an opportunity" to part with your money, "there's no treat," Edelman says. "If you didn't wake up this morning planning to buy it, then don't."