Want to Stop Impulse Buys? Try This Rule!
Ever bought something on a whim—only to regret it later? You’re not alone. In this episode of Ask Ralph , Ralph breaks down the psychology behind impulse spending and introduces a faith-filled, practical tool to help you pause before you purchase. From midnight scroll sessions to tempting in-store displays, impulse buying is everywhere—but it doesn’t have to control your budget. Discover the biblical wisdom and everyday strategy behind the stop impulse buys rule.
Check out the full podcast episode here
Ralph walks you through the 24-hour rule: a simple yet powerful way to create space between desire and decision. You’ll learn how waiting cultivates self-control, helps you pray through purchases, and aligns your spending with your values and priorities. With relatable examples and practical tips, this episode will help you develop habits that protect both your wallet and your peace.
Chapters:
- 00:19 - The Power of Delayed Gratification
- 01:13 - Understanding Impulse Purchases
- 02:55 - Fighting Impulse Buys: The 24 Hour Rule
- 05:41 - The Importance of the 24-Hour Pause
- 06:36 - Ending One Chapter and Transitioning to the Next
Takeaways:
- Impulse buying can feel good at first, but it often leads to regret later.
- Using a simple 24-hour rule can help you pause and think before buying.
- Marketers create urgency to encourage impulse purchases, but we need to resist that temptation.
- Setting a spending threshold helps you decide when to apply the 24-hour rule for purchases.
- Taking time before making a purchase allows you to align spending with your values and priorities.
- A moment of pause can save you money, prevent regret, and help you make better choices.
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00:00 - Untitled
00:51 - Untitled
01:11 - The Power of Delayed Gratification
02:05 - Understanding Impulse Purchases
03:47 - Fighting Impulse Buys: The 24 Hour Rule
06:32 - The Importance of the 24-Hour Pause
07:27 - Ending One Chapter and Transitioning to the Next
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Hey, have you ever bought something on impulse?
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Maybe late at night, you're scrolling online or you spotted something
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shiny in a store and you thought, I gotta have this only to regret it.
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Days later, you're not alone.
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But what if there was a simple way to hit pause before you click buy today?
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On Ask Ralph I'm sharing one powerful rule to help you avoid regret.
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And reclaim control over your spending.
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Hey there, and welcome back to Your Daily Ask Ralph.
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I'm Ralph and we're continuing our series, the Joy of Living Below Your
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Means Here we're working together to break that cycle of financial
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shame and do it with confidence.
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Now, yesterday we tackled those sneaky, unused subscriptions.
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Today is those impulse one-off purchases, the ones that feel good in the moment.
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They leave a dent in your wallet and more importantly, sometimes in your spirit.
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So let's talk about those impulse buys.
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You're scrolling late at night and something flashy pops up, it's on sale,
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and you think, why not click bought, done?
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Or maybe you're out running errands and something fun catches your eye and
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without much thought, it's in the cart.
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Now at first.
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It feels good, but, but then you feel that regret.
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You start thinking it doesn't fit in the budget.
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I don't really need this.
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And it sits untouched.
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Maybe gathering dust and maybe even gathering some guilt.
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Well, this kind of spending is emotional.
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And guess what?
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Marketers know that they love to create that urgency.
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Those limited time only offers the the last chance the don't miss out.
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But Proverbs 19, two reminds us.
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Desire without knowledge is not good.
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How much more will hasty feet miss the way?
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What a beautiful verse.
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And acting without pause often leads to that regret.
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Because we need time, we need, we need time for wisdom to catch up with that
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desire and that emotional with that want.
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So how do we fight these impulse buys?
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Use the 24 hour rule.
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Before buying any non- essential item over a certain amount, you wait 24
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hours or maybe 48 hours if you prefer.
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' cause that pause does some powerful things.
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It cools the emotion.
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That initial emotional thrill fades away.
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It allows for time of prayer and time of thought can ask
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yourself, do I really need this?
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Is this why stewardship?
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Can I pray about it?
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It often prevents regret that that desire, that emotional buildup often vanishes and
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in the end it builds superior discipline.
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'cause you're training your brain to wait.
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So here's what I want you to do today.
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I want you to start by setting that threshold.
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Say to yourself, over what amount will this rule apply?
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Maybe for you it's $25 or $50, or even a hundred dollars.
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You gotta choose what fits best for your budget, what works for you.
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And then you're gonna pick that wait time for you.
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Maybe it's 24 hours or maybe 36 hours, or maybe you're real impulsive
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and you need to wait that 48 hours.
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You gotta choose what works best for you.
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And then I'm gonna encourage you to write it down.
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Maybe stick a note in your wallet, maybe wrap it around your credit
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card or, or set a phone reminder or something that says, wait 24
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hours before buying wants over $50.
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And then most importantly, you gotta commit to that pause, and
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next time you feel that buying urge, you stop, acknowledge the rule.
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Maybe you walk away or close that browser and pray about it,
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and then revisit that decision.
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After the waiting period, they might be asking Ralph, why does this matter?
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Why?
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Why should I bother taking this step?
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Because the truth is this simple pause protects your heart and your wallet.
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It creates that much needed space between desire and decision so you can make
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better God led, not gut led choices.
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It helps you spend in alignment with your values and spend in
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alignment with your priorities and in alignment with your faith.
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How about we pray together, Father God, you call us to wisdom and self-control.
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We do confess that impulse often wins.
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Help us build this pause into our habits.
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Lord, give us strength to wait.
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Give us strength to pray and, and give us strength to act
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in alignment with your will.
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Lord, we ask that you would guide our decisions and protect us from that weight
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of regret, and we ask this in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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So what's your rule?
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I want you to set it today.
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That 24 hour pause could save you hundreds of dollars.
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And maybe more importantly, countless moments of regret.
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And we're not giving up joy.
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Don't think we're giving up joy.
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We're just learning how to enjoy with intention.
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And tomorrow, when Ask Ralph if you need weekend fun, that doesn't break the bank.
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I've got you covered with some great ideas that are joyful and budget friendly.
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If today helps you hit pausing your spending, do me a favor and
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share this episode with other people who would benefit from it.
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I encourage you to visit ask ralph.com for tools for downloads and links.
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Let's keep living as financially confident Christians with clarity,
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with peace and with purpose.
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So until next time, pause before you purchase, pray before you
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pay and stay financially savvy.
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God bless you, and I encourage you.
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Have a great day today.
