Coupon Queen: 24-hour rule stops impulse buying

As a teen, I could justify buying almost anything on the spot. A flash sale? It would be irresponsible not to buy it. A cute jacket in my size? It was clearly fate. A limited-time offer? Well, I didn't want to miss out. The problem wasn't that I couldn't afford things; it was that I was constantly buying things I didn't actually need, and sometimes didn't even use. Things slowly changed as I got older and had more bills and responsibilities. The biggest change, though, was when I started using the 24-hour rule. Implementing the rule wasn't planned. In fact, I stumbled upon it one day. I was shopping online late one night and added a few items to my cart that I thought were must-haves. I got distracted, closed my laptop, and forgot to check out. The next day, when I opened my cart again, something surprising happened. I didn't want any of it anymore. Not one item felt necessary. In fact, I couldn't even remember why I thought I needed them. That moment made me realize something powerful. Impulse buying thrives on urgency. When you remove urgency, you remove the pressure to buy. So I started testing the rule more often. If I wanted something that wasn't essential, I had to wait 24 hours. At first, it was hard. I'd still browse and add things to my cart, but I'd force myself to walk away. Most of the time, I'd forgotten about the item entirely. If I did remember the next day, I'd often question the purchase. Do I still want it? Will I actually use it? If the answer was no, I didn't purchase. Over time, I noticed real savings. I didn't stop shopping completely, but I stopped reacting. Waiting turned impulse spending into intentional spending. I still buy things I love, but now they're purchases I feel good about, not ones I regret. If you want to try the 24-hour rule, start simple. Screenshot or save the item instead of buying it immediately. Create and keep track of a wish list instead of just adding things to your cart. Track prices for a day or two before purchasing. Remind yourself, if you still want it tomorrow, it'll still be there. Keep in mind that for most purchases, you don't need to make a rash decision. Keep a level head, wait for your purchase, and your wallet will thank you. This week's deal Here's a deal that you can grab at CVS.Arm & Hammer laundry products — buy 1, get 2 freeAs low as $2.20 each when you buy 3 (regularly $6.59) Rachel Krych is passionate about helping others spend less and save more. In addition to her weekly column, she has a blog, Couponing With Rachel, which earns her compensation from Google for ads it places there, and from entertainment marketers whose promotional codes she touts. She doesn't write about entertainment in her column. Email her at rachelkrych@gmail.com.