Lesson 1
Engineering Friction
Make it physically harder to spend money by removing stored credentials and unsubscribing from emails.
Remove saved cards
Go to your browser settings and payment apps. Delete your saved credit card details. Having to get up to find your wallet is often enough time for the impulsive urge to pass.
Unsubscribe from marketing
Use a service like Unroll.me or manually click 'unsubscribe' on every marketing email you receive. These emails are designed to manufacture artificial urgency.
Audit your apps
Delete shopping apps from your phone. Only access these stores via a desktop browser. This small barrier creates a distinction between browsing for utility and browsing for pleasure. If you cannot easily click 'buy' within three seconds, you have successfully added the friction needed to break the habit of mindless, impulsive acquisition of unnecessary items.