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.
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