One Way We Stay Disciplined in Our Online Spending

Let me preface this by saying online spending is not a bad thing. I LOVE SPENDING MONEY. I especially love spending money online. It is quick, easy and there is so much satisfaction when you click the button. Not to mention how it feels when you open the package not even a day later. I recently bought something on Amazon and it came not even 8 hours later! I ordered it the night before and woke up to it on our doorstep when I woke up. I opened it and literally said “wow” out loud. I couldn’t believe it!

So how do we stay disciplined in our online spending when it is this wonderful of an invention?

Amazon Wishlists.

Anyone who has ever bought me something for my Birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Anniversary, “just because” gift, knows how much I love Amazon wishlists. (Dan loves that I do this!) I have three categories- my wishlist, Dan’s wishlist, Lucy’s wishlist. Whenever I get the thought that I need to buy something for one of these people, I just add it to the wishlist. No money has left my bank account yet I still get the satisfaction of clicking the button. Then, I can go about my day without thinking about said item because it has already been accounted for. Then, after a few days if it is still on there, I know I actually want it and I can decide if I can wait until my birthday or if I want to use my “Her” money to buy it now. ** You can do the same concept with making a list on your phone for other online websites that may not have a wishlist feature.

It may sound like such a simple idea but in reality it makes a very big difference. Just by giving yourself a little time to really decide if you want something helps you not to overspend and to help you decide if you REALLY want that thing or not. Half the time I end up taking those things off my wishlist because I decide I don’t actually want that thing as bad as I initially thought I did.

Try it. Let me know how it works for you.

** “Her” money: Dan and I have a His/Her fund as part of our budget and I highly recommend it. You can start small with just $10 for each of you but it feels so liberating to know that you have money to spend on WHATEVER you want. No questions asked. You can save it for a nice pair of pants. You can blow it on candy. You can do whatever you want with that money. So freeing!