Wait 72 hours before committing to anything you didn't plan to buy

Retailers - online and in-store - are experts at manufacturing urgency such as flash sales, "only 2 left," countdown timers. The antidote is simple: wait three days before purchasing any unplanned, non-essential item. Write it down if you need to, then revisit after 72 hours. Research consistently shows the urge to buy evaporates in most cases. If you still want it after three days, it's a considered purchase, not an impulse. This one habit can save thousands a year, and it costs nothing but a little patience.