The urge-delay rule
Waiting even a short, fixed period before a purchase (commonly 24 hours for anything non-essential) gives the initial dopamine spike time to fade, so the decision gets made by a calmer brain.
HALT check
Before buying, ask if you're Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Impulse spending often has more to do with an unmet emotional or physical need than the item itself.
Values-based questions
Asking "will this matter in 30 days?" or "does this fit what I actually value?" activates deliberate, reflective thinking instead of automatic, reactive buying.
Friction by design
Removing saved payment cards, unsubscribing from marketing emails, and deleting shopping apps from your phone all add real-world "pause" steps between urge and purchase.
Tracking triggers
Writing down what you almost bought and what mood or situation led to it builds awareness of your personal patterns over time — the same principle behind this game's "trigger" line on each round.