u/ChloeQueenOfAssholes

Honestly didn't realize how bad this habit had gotten until I looked back at my bank statement last month. I wasn't buying anything crazy expensive, just a bunch of small stuff. A candle here, a random kitchen gadget there, some clothes I haven't even worn yet. Individually each purchase felt totally justified, but seeing it all together was kind of a wake-up call.

I think a big part of it for me is just scrolling through apps when I'm bored or procrastinating. The algorithm clearly knows what it's doing because I'll see something and suddenly convince myself I "need" it within about 30 seconds.

I've been trying to do a 24-hour rule where I wait a day before buying anything non-essential, and it actually helps a lot. Most of the time I just forget about it entirely, which kind of validates my feeling that I'm buying out of boredom. I also started only buying things when I actually have a discount lined up. Stumbled across Promopro UK a little while back and it kind of changed how I approach online shopping... instead of buying on impulse, I'll check if there's a deal first, and if there isn't, that pause alone usually kills the urge.

Curious if anyone else struggles with this. Is it just a modern attention economy thing or have people always been impulse shoppers? And if you've actually managed to break the habit, what worked for you? Not really looking for a strict budgeting system, just something that makes me a little more intentional without feeling deprived.