3359: 9 Painless Ways To Trick Yourself Into Spending Less by Sarah Von Bargen of Yes and Yes on Money-Saving Habits

Summary

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Optimal Finance Daily – Episode 3359

“9 Painless Ways To Trick Yourself Into Spending Less”

Based on the article by Sarah Von Bargen of Yes and Yes
Aired: November 20, 2025
Host: Diania Merriam

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Episode Overview

This episode, narrated by host Diania Merriam, explores easy and effective strategies for reducing everyday spending without feeling deprived or overwhelmed. Drawing from Sarah Von Bargen's article, "9 Painless Ways To Trick Yourself Into Spending Less," the discussion focuses on small behavioral tweaks and mindset shifts to create more friction at spending moments and develop money-saving habits. Diania adds her own reflections, encouraging mindfulness and intentionality in spending.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Misconception About Spending Less [01:08]

• Sarah immediately reassures that curbing spending isn't about deprivation or suffering:
  • “Does spending less feel like a long slog of coupon clipping, ramen noodles and watching everybody have more fun than you on Instagram? Friend, it doesn't have to… I swear by these tricks to spending less that feel completely painless.” (Sarah, 01:11)
• Note: These tricks help reduce unnecessary purchases but don’t address deeper issues behind spending habits.

9 Painless Ways to Spend Less

1. Unsubscribe from Tempting Newsletters [01:55]

• Newsletters often lure you into impulse buying.
  • “If you impulse buy things you don't need every time a well designed newsletter appears in your inbox, opt out.” (Sarah, 01:59)
• Consider using tools like Unroll.Me.
• Still want updates? Follow on social media instead.

2. Block Yourself from Tempting Websites [02:25]

• If email isn't the problem but specific sites are (Anthropologie, eBay, Amazon), block those sites entirely.
  • “Maybe you can't let anthropologie.com ever darken your URL bar again… you can block yourself from it.” (Sarah, 02:32)
• Tool mentioned: Blocksite for Chrome.

3. Turn Off Autocomplete for Credit Cards [02:48]

• Make buying online less frictionless by removing saved credit card info.
  • “It's really easy to buy things when all that's required of us is two mouse clicks. Make it just slightly more difficult…” (Sarah, 02:51)
• If fetching your card feels like too much work, you probably don’t want it that much.

4. Order Online, Pick Up In-Store [03:08]

• Avoid in-store temptations (especially at Target) by picking up only what you actually need.
  • “You'll only order what you actually need and won't be lured in by sales racks and pretty end caps.” (Sarah, 03:13)

5. Eat Before Shopping—Any Kind [03:24]

• Shopping hungry increases overall spending—up to 60%-70% more.
  • “Multiple studies have shown that people who shop hungry spend 60 to 70% more than their non-hungry peers… ” (Sarah, 03:28)
• Hunger increases the desire to acquire—any kind of goods, not just food.
• Keep healthy snacks handy to avoid physical and financial hunger.

6. Three-Day Waiting Period for Purchases [04:10]

• If you’re not sure about an item, wait three days before buying.
  • “If you still find yourself thinking about it three days later and you can afford it, pull the trigger. If you forget all about it, which you probably will, great…” (Sarah, 04:19)

7. Cash-Only Budget [04:38]

• People spend more slowly with cash; the pain of parting with physical money is effective.
  • “Did you know that we're much slower to spend cash than we are to use our credit cards…” (Sarah, 04:43)
• Try a cash cleanse as a “reset.”

8. Reminders In Your Wallet [05:03]

• Place a note or photo in your wallet to reinforce your savings goals or remind yourself to think before buying.
  • “My free ebook… comes with a wallet sized set of questions to ask yourself before buying something.” (Sarah, 05:07)
• Ideas: a photo of what you’re saving for or a custom debit card image.

9. Unfollow Social Media Accounts That Tempt You [05:28]

• Curate your feeds to eliminate comparison and spending urges.
  • “One of the best things I've ever done for my mental health was unfollow accounts that made me feel less than and fill my feed with people who are in my size, age and tax bracket.” (Sarah, 05:32)
• Replace with accounts that bring joy, not envy or shopping impulses.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Making Buying Harder:
  • “Make it just slightly more difficult by removing your credit card info… If we can't be bothered to stand up and go get our credit cards, we probably didn't want the item that much to begin with, did we?” —Sarah (02:51)
• On Shopping Hungry:
  • “Being hungry increases our desire to acquire, and our brains aren't always great at realizing that our bodies are trying to acquire food, not some bookends shaped like pineapples.” —Sarah (03:35)
• On Social Media Influence:
  • “If someone or something is nudging you to buy things you don't need, call them from your feed and replace them with accounts that make you feel great.” —Sarah (05:55)
• Host Reflection:
  • “I think the point is to pause and bring some mindfulness into spending behaviors... When I paused long enough to question my assumptions around what was a necessity, I was often surprised by the answer and delighted by my own creativity in getting my needs met.” —Diania Merriam (09:07)

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Host’s Commentary & Practical Advice [09:03]

• Diania underscores the value of "creating more friction" before spending.
• She shares her own mindful spending practice—asking herself:
  • “Do I actually need this thing or is it more of a want?”
  • “Do I already have something that could be repurposed or could I borrow it?”
  • “Could I buy it used or find a better price with research?”
• Concludes: Making spending a more mindful, deliberate act leads to surprising savings and satisfaction.

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------|-------------| | Opening & Main Theme Introduction | 01:08 | | Tip 1: Unsubscribe from Newsletters | 01:55 | | Tip 2: Block Tempting Sites | 02:25 | | Tip 3: Turn Off Autocomplete | 02:48 | | Tip 4: Order Online, Pick Up | 03:08 | | Tip 5: Eat Before Shopping | 03:24 | | Tip 6: Three-Day Waiting Period | 04:10 | | Tip 7: Cash-Only Budget | 04:38 | | Tip 8: Visual Reminders in Wallet | 05:03 | | Tip 9: Curate Your Social Feed | 05:28 | | Host Commentary & Reflection | 09:03 |

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Tone and Language

• Friendly, encouraging, and conversational.
• Presents practical advice without shaming or moralizing.
• Infused with humor and self-awareness (“bookends shaped like pineapples”).

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Summary

In this episode, Diania Merriam animates Sarah Von Bargen’s approachable, no-nonsense tactics for spending less painlessly. Each tip is actionable and rooted in behavioral science and personal experience, emphasizing that financial well-being is about mindful habits and smart environmental tweaks. Diania’s enthusiastic narration and personal stories inspire listeners to adopt these practices, confronting spending temptations with creativity and self-compassion—making financial independence feel accessible, not austere.

Transcript

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This is Optimal Finance Daily 9 Painless Ways to Trick Yourself into Spending Less by Sarah Von Bargain of yes and yes.org does spending less feel like a long slog of coupon clipping ramen noodles and watching everybody have more fun than you on Instagram? Friend, it doesn't have to hand to God. I swear by these tricks to spending less that feel completely painless. Like you might not even notice that you're spending less till you get your surprisingly small credit card bill a giant asterisk. These tricks will absolutely help you buy fewer things you don't need. However, they won't help you get to the root of why you're buying things you don't need in the first place. That's a much bigger endeavor. That said, this is a great place to start. And when you're ready to really actually change your relationship with money, this will help. 9 painless ways to trick yourself into spending less number one unsubscribe from newsletters that tempt you. Do you struggle to resist the siren song of J Cruise discount codes? Are you constantly adding things to your cart so you can qualify for the free shipping? If you impulse buy things you don't need every time a well designed newsletter appears in your inbox, opt out. If you don't want to completely abandon your retailers of choice, you can use Unroll Me to wrap all your newsletters into one daily digest. You can also unsubscribe from their newsletters but still follow along on social media so you don't miss anything. Truly huge. Number two Block yourself from websites where you spend too much. If unsubscribing from newsletters isn't enough to curb your regrettable online purchases, consider blocking yourself from certain websites entirely. Maybe you can't let anthropologie.com ever darken your URL bar again. Maybe the problem is ebay or even Amazon. Whatever the site, you can block yourself from it. I like Blocksite for Chrome Turn off your computer's autocomplete credit card option. It's really easy to buy things when all that's required of us is two mouse clicks. Make it just slightly more difficult by removing your credit card info from your computer. If we can't be bothered to stand up and go get our credit cards, we probably didn't want the item that much to begin with, did we? 4. Order online and pick up at the front of the store. If you go to Target for socks and a lime and emerge $157.65 later, consider their drive up option. You'll only order what you actually need and won't be lured in by sales racks and pretty end caps. 5. Eat something before you go shopping. You know that tip about not going grocery shopping when you're hungry? Turns out you shouldn't really do any shopping, grocery or otherwise, if you're hungry. Multiple studies have shown that people who shop hungry spend 60 to 70% more than their non hungry peers. They buy more clothes, electronics, home goods, everything. Being hungry increases our desire to acquire, and our brains aren't always great at realizing that our bodies are trying to acquire food, not some bookends shaped like pineapples. I will never stop telling you to keep healthy snacks in your bag like glove compartment and office. They'll keep you away from the vending machine and probably away from the sales racks. 6. Give yourself a three day waiting period if you're on the fence about a purchase. If you don't emit a low groan of yes when you try it on or hold it, give it a minute. Take a photo of the tags and product info. If it's a boutique or local business, grab their business card. If you still find yourself thinking about it three days later and you can afford it, pull the trigger. If you forget all about it, which you probably will, great More money for things you're not on the fence about. 7. Put yourself on a cash only budget. Did you know that we're much slower to spend cash than we are to use our credit cards, and we value the things we buy with cash more than the things we put on a card? One of the reasons bank boost is so effective is that we all put ourselves on cash only fun budgets for six weeks. That's six weeks of looking in our wallets and knowing exactly how much fun money we have left for the week. Six weeks of feeling the pinch when we have to hand over nine singles for a latte and a muffin because we didn't eat breakfast. A cash cleanse is a great reset. Put a reminder in your wallet. If most of your spending goes on your credit and debit cards, tuck a reminder in there next to them. My free ebook how to Stop Buying Shit you Don't need comes with a wallet sized set of questions to ask yourself before buying something. You could print out a wallet sized photo of something you're saving for or even customize the image on your debit card to remind you. And number nine Unfollow social media accounts that tempt you to spend. One of the best things I've ever done for my mental health was unfollow accounts that made me feel less than and fill my feed with people who are in my size, age and tax bracket. No more millionaires staying in luxury hotels. No size 223 year olds. If you find yourself feeling shoppy after scrolling Instagram, consider the images you just poured over. Are you feeling called to buy all new furniture after staring at photos posted by professional designers? Do you find yourself shopping for makeup after falling down an eyeliner tutorial YouTube hole? If someone or something is nudging you to buy things you don't need, call them from your feed and replace them with accounts that make you feel great. You just listened to the post titled 9 Painless Ways to Trick Yourself into Spending Less by Sarah von Bargen of yes and yes.org Imagine you're a business.

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[A]

Great suggestions for creating more friction when it comes to spending. This gives you a fighting chance when it comes to fighting temptation in the moment When I was first learning to control my spending, I followed a process of asking myself questions before I bought anything. It might sound silly at first, but I think the point is to pause and bring some mindfulness into spending behaviors. When I paused long enough to question my assumptions around what was a necessity, I was often surprised by the answer and delighted by my own creativity in getting my needs met. My thought process went something like this Do I actually need this thing or is it more of a want? Then I would question if I already had something that could be repurposed or if I could borrow this thing from a friend. If not, I would look into buying it used or do the necessary research to find the best price. Spending money became a much more involved activity than just swiping a credit card like I used to do, and that should do it for today. Thank you for being a subscriber or follower of the show and sharing it with others. It really goes a long way to keep this podcast going. Have a great rest of your day and I'll see you tomorrow. Where optimal life awaits.