If you’re focused on simplifying and streamlining your spending, then consider adding this strategy to your tools for resisting the temptation to spend more than you’d like :
>> Intentionally and proactively delay gratification.
Use this mindset to avoid impulse buys and give yourself the time to pause and figure out if you actually want to buy what appeals to you in the moment.
We’ve all been through a case of the “wants” only to discover a week later that the thing we wanted is a distant memory and we can’t remember what was appealing about it to begin with. This is why it can be crucial to give yourself enough time to reconsider and potentially let go of the desire to buy the new shiny thing even if it is on sale (especially at this time of the year!).
Give yourself a clear boundary when it comes to how you spend. If you think you want something, write it down on a list. Look at the list again in 2 weeks. Do you still absolutely need or want that thing?
Sometimes waiting 2 weeks can make the difference between spending more than you need to and curbing the desire to purchase something entirely. After all, it is just an object that may end up in a pile fairly soon after you buy it.
Whether you decide to purchase or not to purchase something on your list, make sure the decision is intentional and good for you in the long term.
Delayed gratification as a tool isn’t meant to create deprivation. It primarily is just a way to get breathing space and the time to make intentional, well thought out and good decisions.
What are some of your strategies for making sure that what enters your home is truly needed and not something that will sit in a corner unappreciated?
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