Add a delay between wanting and buying, know your number first, and plan a little fun money.
Written by Alex BPublished 13 November 2026
Money Detective is built around practical household money tools for Australians.
Make buying slower and harder than wanting. The simplest version is a 72 hour wait list: write the item and price down instead of buying it, and buy it later only if you still want it and it fits your Safe to Spend amount. In the example below, five items totalling $340.95 went on a list, and four were dropped, which kept $220.95 in the account. The 72 hours is a rule of thumb, not a scientific figure, so use a longer wait for bigger purchases.
A strict rule with no room for treats is easy to break. Give yourself a small amount each fortnight that you can spend on anything without guilt, and put it in the budget as its own line. Spending that is planned is not impulse spending.
Many people find they buy more when they are tired, bored or stressed, or when a sale email lands. Write down what you were doing the last few times you bought something you did not need, and pick one trigger to put a rule around.
Over one fortnight, a shopper puts five items on a wait list.
| Item | Price | After 72 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Jacket | $89.00 | Dropped |
| Phone case | $24.95 | Dropped |
| Speaker | $120.00 | Kept, bought from fun money |
| Skincare set | $72.00 | Dropped |
| Cushion covers | $35.00 | Dropped |
| Not spent | $220.95 |
The shopper kept the speaker because it fit the fun money line, and dropped the other four. That is $220.95 not spent, which can go to a goal instead: for example, $220.95 is about 1.9 fortnights of a $3,000 emergency fund target saved over a year ($115.38 a fortnight).
The Payday Buffer workbook, a $16.95 Excel template, gives a Safe to Spend estimate for the days until your next payday, so you know your number before you tap. The free Payday Check calculator needs no sign-up or bank connection. For recurring spends that sneak up on you, the subscriptions guide is a good place to start.
Turn skipped spending into a goal: Fortnightly Budget Plus has a Savings Goals tab. Type the goal, target, date and what you have already saved, and it shows how much to set aside each fortnight and each week. It is an Excel workbook and nothing connects to your bank.
If you want a short reset, try a no spend challenge. If spending is causing you real worry, free financial counselling is available through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
It works by adding a delay between wanting and buying, so you can decide with a clearer head. It is a habit tool, not a guarantee, and you can lengthen the wait for bigger items.
Not necessarily. A planned amount for treats can make the rest of the budget easier to keep.
This article provides general information only. It does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs, and it is not financial advice. Examples use invented figures. Money Detective's tools provide estimates and planning information. Consider your own circumstances, and seek independent advice if you need it, before making financial decisions.