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Spending friction

Five actionable ways to stop impulse spending

May 21, 20233 min read

Have you ever heard of the term spending friction? It's a fancy way of saying let’s make it harder to spend money. We can actually use neuroscience to make it more challenging to lean into those impulse purchases that occur in a whirlwind. Cue: me blacking out in a Target and leaving with a holiday themed table runner that I don't own a big enough table for.

(Really, this happened in 2017 while I was a student in physiotherapy school. If anyone wants a whimsical chick and rabbit table runner for Easter, lmk)  

5 actionable ways

Table runners aside, here are my best tips to add a little spending friction in your way. ✨

1. Remove the stored credit cards on your computer. 

Make it harder on yourself! You would be surprised at how powerful removing your stored credit cards in Google truly is. The action of having to get up off the couch, walk to your wallet and grab your card adds a hurdle to slow the decision-making process. My random Amazon purchases 2 glasses of wine deep on a Friday night have (annoyingly) hit an all-time low. This takes a few clicks on your Google account. 

2. Unsubscribe from all tempting marketing emails

Going on an unsubscribing spree in your email inbox feels so good! Spend 5 minutes on a Saturday tackling this. You will not be tempted again by Old Navy’s 40% off sale that somehow happens every 3 weeks. This is another way to reduce your self-control load within your financial life. 

Do you like getting discounts in your inbox and fear unsubscribing means you’ll miss out? Hey me too! My usually foolproof trick: re-subscribe to the email list you want, put something in your cart and then exit the website without purchasing! The store will 9 times out of 10 send you a sweet lil’ discount to get you to purchase within 48 hours. Then don’t forget to unsubscribe afterward!

3. Enlist an accountability partner 

Pick a numerical value that feels like a “big” purchase to you. Mine is around $100. Make it a rule with your partner, friend, or sibling to check in with this person before buying something over this amount. Get their thoughts on the purchase. This adds external validation to your decision making.

4. Have a little reminder card in your wallet. 

I have a family friend that has a small note card in her wallet with a picture of her next financial goal. Hers was always the next travel destination she had in mind, but this could be anything - house, business, boat, you name it. I love this idea! When we stay reminded of our goals, we are more likely to reach them.

5. Disable Apple Pay on your phone.

You get the gist now - the harder we make it to spend mindlessly, the less we will do it. It’s so bloody easy to Face ID our way to VIB status at Sephora. Creating length in the time between thinking about a purchase and actually purchasing something is the key here. This takes 2 minutes in your settings. While you are there, I would also delete Uber Eats and Door Dash apps on your phone if you want to really cut back on your spending.


Now go forth and create your own spending friction. Have another unique way of adding more friction into your life? I want to hear about it! You know where to find me - @frigginfinances on the 'gram.

Shanna is a QAFP candidate, money nerd and has been talking everyone's ear off about getting your money life sorted since 2018.

Shanna Graham

Shanna is a QAFP candidate, money nerd and has been talking everyone's ear off about getting your money life sorted since 2018.

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