It’s estimated that people can make as many as 35,000 choices each day. This spans across a number of topics, including what to eat, how you occupy your time, and whether or not you spend your money.

In every decision, there is a recurring theme of whether you make the ‘correct’ decision, or the one that brings you joy.

Do you need to pick up that bottle of wine on your way home or could you go without? Do you need that new jacket or do you own enough already? Do you need to buy an extra life on that game on your phone or could you put it down and pick up a book instead?

These decisions are more important than ever. They are the building blocks to growing your savings account and shaping your future – no matter how minute you may think they are at the time, every opportunity your are presented with to spend your money is a choice. 

Not between owning the item or leaving it behind, but between instant gratification and long-term benefit.

The latter is considered difficult only as a result of human disposition. The urge to buy is strongest when the idea has just popped into your head, and usually that is prompted by seeing or hearing about the product in a manner that allows you to act immediately.

By saying no, be it continuing to drive past the cafe, walking away from the clothing store or closing down the application on your phone, you are exercising your willpower, and much like a muscle, you must do this consistently or risk having none at all.

At times of crisis, when the majority of the country finds themselves in a less stable position financially than they may have at the turn of the year, it’s important to consider every spending opportunity and decide whether it’s completely necessary. 

There’s no better opportunity than now to take the time to understand the long-term benefit of cutting the spontaneous spending decisions out.