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Emmy-nominated Netflix stars, podcasters, and New York Times–bestselling authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus help millions of people live meaningfully with less. The Minimalists have been featured in TIME, GQ, ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, NPR, and they have spoken at Harvard, Apple, Google.

The 30/30 Rule

To stave off impulse, I created a rule that helps me avoid unnecessary purchases.

If something I want costs more than $30, I ask myself whether I can get by without it for the next 30 hours. Hence, “the 30/30 Rule.” (If it’s $100 or more, I tend to wait 30 days.)

This extra time helps me assess whether or not this new thing will add value to my life. Often, after deliberating, I recognize my life will be better without the new widget, so I forgo the purchase.

If I do acquire the new item, though, I feel better about the acquisition because I brought it into my life with intention, not in the impulse of the moment.