You are in the grocery store, holding your phone in one hand and your basket in the other, looking at a sticker that says “limited offer.” The price per unit is lower, the pack is bigger, and your brain whispers that old saying, “It would be stupid not to…” You don’t really need three bottles of that fancy sauce, but it’s fun to grab them anyway. Ten minutes later, you’re at the register, feeling a little annoyed with yourself, but the beeps go by quickly and your card slides even faster. You leave with a receipt that is longer than your arm and a quiet, familiar feeling of regret.
Another thought comes to mind on the way home: what if the real problem isn’t money, but speed?
The real problem isn’t spending; it’s how quickly we say “yes.”
Most of the things we buy that we don’t need don’t feel bad at the time. They make sense, almost like they were meant to be. A friend’s recommendation, a flash sale, a promo, or an influencer’s discount code. It only takes a few seconds, or even less, to make the choice. Your card has already done its job by the time doubt sets in.
We talk a lot about savings goals, budgets, and spreadsheets. We don’t talk about those two or three seconds when a thought quietly turns into a payment nearly as much.
Imagine this: it’s Sunday night, you’re tired, and you’re sitting on the couch looking at your phone. You see a reel with the “perfect” blender or “the only pair of leggings you’ll ever need.” There is a code. The person who made it seems honest. The video is short, and the checkout is even shorter: just use PayPal or Face ID and you’re done.
The order confirmation is still in your inbox twenty-four hours later, but your excitement has already gone down. That’s how it goes. Studies on how people shop often say the same thing: impulse buys happen very quickly, and the regret that comes with them happens slowly and quietly, days or weeks later.
Brands live in the space between wanting something right away and regretting it later. They make the time between “I see” and “I buy” shorter. One-click orders, details filled out automatically, and fast checkouts. Everything is set up to keep you on an emotional highway where it seems impossible to stop.
If your wallet is being attacked by speed, then slowing down the decision is more than just a tip. It’s a way to protect yourself.
The 24-second break: a small habit that makes a big difference
This simple habit will change how you spend money without you even knowing it: before you buy something that isn’t necessary, take a 24-second break. Not a whole week, not even 24 hours. There is only 24 seconds of conscious waiting between “I want this” and “I pay for this.”
You count to 24 in your head and do nothing else. No clicking, no scrolling, and no adding to the cart. It’s just you, the thing, and a short time for your brain to catch up with your feelings.
Give it a try and you’ll see how weird it is. A friend of mine did it with a pair of sneakers she had been “dying for.” She had already clicked “Buy now” when she remembered the rule. She went back a step and stared at the screen, counting slowly. At 10 seconds, she was still sure. At second 18, she thought about the other two pairs in her closet that were similar. She closed the tab at 24 seconds.
Later, half-laughing and half-annoyed, she texted me, “I didn’t need them.” I just needed a little time to figure it out.
This short break works because it gives your logical brain time to get to work. Marketing goes after that very short time when we’re tired, bored, emotional, or stressed. The 24-second habit breaks that gap open. It changes an automatic action into a conscious choice.
And here’s the honest truth: *most big receipts are just the result of too many small decisions made too quickly.* If you slow each one down by a few seconds, you can see your own patterns like a movie in slow motion.
How to make a “friction ritual” with your money
The 24-second pause is just the main part. You can make a little ritual around it that feels almost real. When you buy something online, you might have to: take your card out of auto-fill, close one tab, take a deep breath, and then start counting. When you buy something in a store, put it in your basket, stop walking, look at the price tag, and start your 24 seconds.
Think of it as putting little bits of friction in places where everything else is meant to slide.
A lot of people fail with money rules because they try to go straight to strict systems like no-spend months, complicated apps, and color-coded budgets. Ambitious, but tiring. This habit works best when it stays light and personal. You will forget it from time to time. You will ignore it on purpose because you really want that concert ticket. That’s okay.
Let’s be honest: not everyone does this every day. The goal isn’t to be perfect. The goal is to cut down on the times you spend without really making a decision.
“I used to think I couldn’t control myself,” said a reader who tried this for a month. “Looks like I just didn’t stop.” The control showed up on its own after I added a short pause.
- Step 1: Choose your trigger phrase, like “Pause 24.” Say it in your head every time you want to buy something.
- Step 2: Stop the action in real life by taking your finger off the screen, putting the item back on the shelf, or stepping out of line for a moment.
- Step 3: Ask yourself one simple question as you slowly count to 24: “Will I still care about this in a week?”
If the answer is “I don’t know,” you can add the classic 24-hour rule for more expensive things.
The pause becomes automatic over time. The urge still comes, but the spending slows down on its own, without having to fight it all the time.
When people stop spending, everything else starts to show.
When you stretch those few seconds, something interesting happens. You start to remember how you really felt before you clicked “buy.” Boredom. Stress after a long day at work. The need to give yourself a reward because no one else did. Sometimes it’s just happiness, and the purchase still makes sense. Sometimes it’s just noise.
You’re not just protecting your bank account by taking your time with the decision. You are reading your own feelings as they happen.
You might start to notice patterns, like how you order clothes every Sunday night that you never wear. You buy “productivity” gadgets every payday that mostly just sit around. You “treat yourself” online every time you have a bad meeting. The pause doesn’t judge you. It simply turns on the light.
*That’s when the habit stops feeling like a burden and starts to feel like a quiet way to show respect for yourself.*
This small amount of friction has a small effect: you enjoy the things you buy a lot more. When you buy something that has gone through a small filter, it feels like you chose it, not just grabbed it. You remember when you hesitated and still said “yes.” That one thing can change how you feel about your things, your money, and your own impulses.
You could then make up your own rules. Your own delays. Your own way of slowing down a world that always tells you to hurry up.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| 24-second pause | A brief, systematic delay before any non-essential purchase | Reduces impulse buys without needing strict budgets |
| Friction ritual | Small physical actions: removing auto-fill, putting item down, breathing | Makes decisions more conscious and less automatic |
| Emotional awareness | Noticing boredom, stress, or reward-seeking behind purchases | Helps break hidden spending patterns over time |
Questions and Answers:
Does the 24-second rule really make a difference?Yes, because people usually decide to buy things on impulse in just a few seconds. If you stretch that moment out, even just a little, your rational brain can step in and often make you want to do it less.
Should I do this for every purchase I make?No. Use it for things you don’t need, like clothes, gadgets, decorations, extra subscriptions, and takeout “just because.” Most of the time, you don’t need to stop for things like groceries or medicine.
What if I still want the thing after 24 seconds?Then get it. The point isn’t to say “no” to everything; it’s to say “yes” on purpose. If the desire survives a short pause, it’s probably closer to a real choice than a reflex.
Can I change to a rule that lasts 24 hours instead?You can, especially for bigger purchases. The 24-second habit is easier to adopt daily, and you can stack the 24-hour delay on top for anything that costs more or affects your budget long-term.
How soon will I notice a change in how much I spend?Many people notice changes within one or two weeks: fewer random packages arriving, less regret, a clearer view of where their money goes. The real benefit grows month after month as the pause becomes automatic.
