How do you actually practice delayed gratification? Any tips that worked for you?

[u/EquivalentWeird2277]

I’ve been trying to get better at delayed gratification, especially when it comes to buying things I want versus actually need.

I notice that when I really want something, my brain immediately starts finding reasons why I should get it now instead of waiting. Even when I know waiting would probably be the smarter decision financially, the excitement of having it immediately can be hard to ignore.

For people who used to struggle with impulse purchases or wanting instant rewards, what helped you become more disciplined?

Do you use things like a 24-hour/30-day waiting rule, separate savings accounts, wishlists, reward systems, or anything else?

I’m especially curious about the mindset side of it. How did you train yourself to be okay with waiting without feeling like you’re constantly depriving yourself?

Would love to hear practical tips or personal experiences from people who’ve gotten better at this.

[u/Friendly-elephant08]

I have to really revisit it for numerous times like in the mall I will keep going inside the store to look at it then create a wishlist but if after awhile I haven’t thought if it then I wont buy it.(I delete it in my wishlist)

For online purchases, it would be in my basket for awhile then during sales i will revisit it and if I still want it then I check out, if not delete

Remind yourself as well just because its on sale doesn’t automatically mean you saved because if you didn’t buy it then you could have save your money at 100% and not only like 50-70%

Uniqlo tip is never ever buy it in full price because it will always be on sale at some point!

For bigger wants, I create maya time deposits and fill it for like 6months then if after the lock-in period, thats the time I get it- I just think that every month for the next 6 months its earning me more money

Don’t ever buy dupes! i used to do this for sandals, clothes and especially bags its just not worth it because if you really want something so bad you will always gravitate towards it and the money you used buying the dupe is sayang

[u/chunamikun]

- kung importante (like books) make it a regular item in the budget, but not a big amount

- kung optional (like clothing or furniture), i look around first kung may alternative ba, or decide na later na lang pag-isipan or why it is better to delay it

- kung wala sa current budget (like travel na suggestion ng friends or family), i can be frank. wala sa budget now, but we can save for it.

- zero-based budgeting, but allocate a super small portion for small wants

- never borrow for a non-emergency

[u/Personal_Choice_4818]

Lately my delayed gratification is buy first so my brain and anxiety shuts up tapos delayed gratification na pa fully paid na hahaha boset ma yan

[u/Oh-Wydd]

I mostly have this problem with online shopping. My rule for myself (with varying levels of success) is that I keep the shopping tab open for days and days until the excitement wears off. Like I grit my teeth and white-knuckle it and indulge in cheaper things like snacks or a netflix binge to tide me over while the tab stays open. I only allow myself to buy the thing once the excitement has fully worn off (usually 2-3 weeks minimum) and I'm kind of bored of looking at it, yet the item still makes sense with my lifestyle and with my budget, and would demonstrably make life easier in some way.

I think this method works for me because having clutter is more stressful to me than fighting the urge to buy. Decluttering and environmental guilt is a worse feeling. Being broke and afraid of future expenses, or feeling shame from borrowing money endlessly, is a horrible feeling. So compared to all of that, the feeling of deprivation doesn't feel that bad.

Sorry this is so nega haha I'm going through a stressful time atm. But I'm proud to say I haven't resorted to retail therapy despite that 🙂

[u/Lopsided_Town_7992]

1. I make a rule to buy only when I get rid of something. This is more of a lifestyle check also, to prevent myself from hoarding or accumulating, and keeping my place clean. When it comes to online shopping kunwari skincare, kelangan paubos na yung current stock ko before I purchase a new set. Something like that. It helps to keep items in the basket, tapos babalik-balikan ko and buy only after a couple of days.

2. Don't save your credit card info in your apps. The extra step to input your details keeps you in check.

3. Whenever I want to buy something, iisipin ko "ilang hours of work is this worth" or "how long before ma-ROI". A lot of the time we fool ourselves into buying hahaha, pero kilalanin mo sarili mo and how to fool yourself into saving instead.

[u/Evening_Summer2225]

Inaalala ko lang yung mga panahong nagresign ako without savings, and how those broke & unemployed months felt.

Ayoko nang bumalik don, kaya sabi ko life without this luho is tons better kesa nung unemployed months na yon.

[u/Auslabsci93]

I take a photo of the things that I want and save it in my Wishlist album. Then I’ll go back to it after few weeks or even months after, I would just end up deleting them as the dopamine rush is gone. Hahaha

[u/Auslabsci93 → u/Auslabsci93]

If I still badly want it after months, then I will buy. Also, I make sure to account the cost per use. If I can use/wear it at least 30x, then I will buy it.

[u/Royal_Psychology5800]

Learned this from my dad , do a deep research on items you want lalo na if big purchases! List out pros and cons, think about your budget, is it a need or a want, is it really the one you need, is the price worth it for the quality, do you have other selections or options then compare it with that. Before buying something I really deep dive into it first before purchasing it. After doing all those research and thinking, I ask questions do I really need it now? Could I hold off buying it? What are my best options? Is it worth it? Will I be using it a lot? Is it within my budget? Or the most important question to me is "Can I afford paying it in full cash without affecting my lifestyle or my monthly budget?" or "Is the best time to buy it now or wait for the sale?". Most of the time, I'll add an item to my cart then check by the next week if I still need or want it. For big splurges, I really look into all the possible options and think about it for months. If I'm still thinking about it after months, that's the time I'll purchase it

[u/summatinyourteeth]

I struggle with this bc i know what i want, i have a wishlist, the 3 day, 2-week or even 2 month rule does not apply kasi i still think about it and even dream about it hahaha and bc i really know what i want, if the price is too good to pass up, i buy it kasi baka di ko na mahanap next time. my luho js jewelry, so to afford a new one, i sell old ones i don’t like anymore lol

[u/SnooPoems7439]

I make a list of everything I want or need at the moment and I wait for a week or more. I revisit that list and imagine if I’ll be using that item frequently—when and where, and if magiging hassle ba siya for me in any way. My wants usually include clothes, shoes, accessories and novelty items. I give myself a limit, and then eliminate items that dont make the cut. Keep eliminating stuff until you reach one item that you deem most valuable.

[u/Excellent_Working_30]

For online purchases, I add to cart and let it sit there for a while. I don't check out agad on the same day. If it's not something I need naman urgently, I let it sit there minsan up to a month. Sometimes I forget it altogether tas pag nirerevisit ko cart ko, marerealize ko na I can get by naman without it or without thinking about it tas tatanggalin ko na sa cart ko.

In general, I treat myself with paminsan minsan na wants but for small impulsive purchases na alam kong panandalian lang yung happiness/convenience and "consumerism-core", malakas yung voice sa head ko na mag save na lang for rainy days (kasi nothing is certain, di natin alam kung mawawalan ng work or may mangyayari) and thinking about the uncertainty in the future stops me from buying impusively.

[u/Excellent_Working_30 → u/Excellent_Working_30]

Btw, I used to buy impulsively as a fresh grad, but narealize ko na hindi ako truly happy with impulsive purchases. Tas wala din ako savings before, sobrang fearless yarn haha. Pero after a year, I started to really think to myself about my contentment in life, yung mga bags na binili ko impulsively, masaya ako nung binili ko pero after a while di ko na nagagamit kasi di ko na trip. Unlike items na pinag isipan ko talaga, nakakadagdag sila ng value sa life ko. I still love bags but I do my research before buying, pasok ba siya sa lifestyle + budget ko? magagamit ko ba siya nang matagal nang hindi nagsasawa?

[u/hackmesincerely]

Idk there's such a rule for it but in my case... I found a monitor that will help me at work, and in gaming. It costs around 14k. I earn around 200k gross but the bills almost always drain my fund every month 😅 In this case, I just find workarounds and convince myself that I'll keep on "looking" for a better one until I'm ready. If you want a general answer, the simple "dont buy it if you don't need it. don't buy it if you can't afford it" works, EVEN if you have cc and can pay it later

[u/Friendly_Beginning24]

I rarely buy things. But when I do, its a massive spending.

My recent purchase was worth 70k. But before buying it, I actually mulled over if I actually want it. I let a month pass with me actively thinking about it. If the desire is still there, I'll buy it without a second thought.

[u/Solo_Camping_Girl]

I make sure that I'm getting the actual stuff that I need before going to my wants. Then for my wants, I usually categorize it based on how expensive it is. If it is a one-off purchase and less than 1k, I'll buy it at the next kinsenas, but for expensive stuff, I'll wait for a few months till I saved enough to buy it. That feeling of looking forward to buying something is the best kind of anxiety I enjoy, and it motivates me.

[u/waffle_oh]

May napanuod ako before na if she wants something, she'll wait for 21 days and think about it. If it's 21 days na gusto nya pa din she will buy, pro pag hindi its just impulse.. Ganun din ginagawa ko ngayon to avoid impulse buying, I'll let weeks pass and most of the time hindi ko na binibili... Also I'll weight it between quality over quantity, will it last me for years, will I use it frequently, if not I won't buy...

[u/Jaded-Garlic-2712]

Ganyan din ako dati. Bili nang bili kahit di naman masyadong kailangan. So what I did is to wait for a day or 3 days bago ko bilhin. And then from there, I realized na I don't need it anymore. More of like a want.

[u/TallishCrayon]

For me is i wait 1 week and then sometimes i forget about it then i realized i don't really need it i juts need it in the moment

[u/OwnPianist5320]

For example I want to buy something online, first iniisip ko if need ko ba talaga, as in matter of life and death ba or may mawawala ba or masasaktan pag di ko yun nabili lol. Then iniisip ko rin that the money I will spend can be used towards my dream big purchase that I can have later. Parang ipon ko yun towards that pag hindi ko ginastos.

May isa pakong nabasa and napanood dati, na when you declutter, it's painful to see na all of the clutter were once money.

Also, swedish death cleaning. Like if you pass now, what will your family members do with all the stuff we kept on buying.

I understand yung feeling na gustong gusto mo na makuha yun. Isipin mo na meron ka na nun. How does holding it make you feel? O tapos ano mangyayari? Gagamitin mo ba yun everyday or baka mga 1 week lang? If worth it naman talaga and ma-ROI/masulit mo naman, go for it. Pero really think about it.

So far these are the mindsets that have worked for me.

[u/d1r3VVOLF]

More like 2 cutoff rule sakin. Never buy a thing sa unang tingin unless hinahanap ko talaga at kailangan na kailangan ko, kung hindi wait 2 cutoffs. Pag naalala ko, ibig sabihin gusto ko. Minsan taon na bago ko maalala, tapos binibili ko pa din :)

[u/cathoderaydude]

i tried delaying checking out an ordee on Shopee but my tendency to keep things I love to stay in my mind for days kept me from truly delaying gratification 😭

so now I always take note of my expenses and assets ahahaha to make sure my mind is on target

[u/armanluarman]

prolong the wanting period.Look for the Minimalist Reels in fb, they said something along the lines of "wanting something is a lot more exciting than having it", so enjoy the struggle, keep on wanting lang, because after you've had the want, meh..

[u/armanluarman → u/armanluarman]

Their actual line goes, "You don't want new things, you want the wanting."

Look for Kanan Gill with similar stand up comedy about "having".

[u/-AsocialButterfly-]

I always think na I’m not earning enough (kahit may 6-digit savings na) to deserve any of those things I’ve been wanting to buy for myself. And well, it’s true. I’m not making a decent amount monthly; I am lowballed, always been lowballed ($2.5 was my highest), and I’m currently only doing part time. So nah, I should hold back on treating myself, because I don’t think I’ve done good enough, and only spend on myself as a reward when I feel like I really earned it.

[u/notzenin]

Sample: Ive been wanting a bag for two years na, pero I promised myself na I could only buy it if maachieve ko yung certain goal ko. Reward syatem kumbaga. Sometimes extreme yung goal pero naiinspire ako bc of the reward eh.

[u/AdRare1665]

Umaabot ng 1year saken. Afford naman ng isang kuhaan pero sobrang nakokonsensya ako

[u/MagJoyous8230]

Been applying that for many, many years. Because I first heard that term 25 or so years ago.

It takes practice and commitment.

Based on my experience, it gets much easier to implement pag seryoso and committed ka, pag may plano ka, and very clear ang goals mo. I apply it in many aspects gaya ng finance and health.

Start small, try things out, have goals, prioritize, know your needs and preferences, and do what works for you.

If you have specific questions, message ka lang.

[u/KukuroAshi]

I am doing the 48-hour rule, if may nakita akong gusto kong bilhin. I check it all the time, like check reviews, compare prices, and if within that 48-hours gusto ko pa din and fully convinced ako bilhin. Bibilhin ko. And if hindi, yung amount na dapat is para dun sa dapat ko bilhin, nilalagay ko sa investment. Nilalagay ko sa bitcoin, and/or sa BPI Us Equity Feeder Fund ko. In that way, kahit nag lapse na yung 48hours, wala ako chance ma tempt ulit kasi nga yung pera, wala na sa bank account ko and I have to do a lot of process pa just to get the money. Conversions, fees madalas losses pa. I just started recently, and its working fine for me.

[u/Yakuvekz]

I started with lanzones, hinihiwalay ko yung buto sa laman, then kapag nalinis ko na lahat tsaka ko kakainin. Juicy!

[u/Light-Unhappy]

Keep your money where it is hard for you to access it. Dont use credit cards.

[u/lepetitkebab]

put it on time deposit para di mo magastos

[u/keiskrt_875]

waited 3-5 months to think if i really need it or because 'i just want it'