Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today It\u2019s not a joke.<\/p>\n It\u2019s her self-imposed rule designed to stop late-night online shopping after a glass of wine.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause let\u2019s be honest,\u201d she laughs, \u201conce that sauv blanc hits, so does the dopamine. And suddenly, that $180 linen shirt feels essential.\u201d<\/p>\n Browne knows impulsive spending is a symptom of something deeper.<\/p>\n \u201cOur world\u2019s been designed so we can shop 24\/7 from the couch, with money that\u2019s not even ours. Tap, click, confirm, it\u2019s frictionless. So I deliberately build friction back in.\u201d<\/p>\n Take the SmartRetire quiz at<\/strong> vanguard.com.au\/smartretire<\/strong><\/a> to discover the building blocks of a more confident retirement.<\/strong><\/p>\n Her solution is what she calls a \u201c30-day financial detox\u201d, a twice-yearly reset she runs with her online community. \u201cYou pick your poison,\u201d she says. \u201cFor me it\u2019s clothes, shoes, books, magazines. For my husband, it\u2019s second coffees and bought lunches.\u201d<\/p>\n For 30 days, participants pause spending in their chosen categories and start noticing what drives their purchases.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you go to buy something, you ask: what\u2019s the emotion behind this? Am I bored? Stressed? Avoiding something? Then you swap it for another dopamine hit, a walk, a call to a friend, a blast of Taylor Swift. You still get the reward, but you keep the money.\u201d<\/p>\n Browne admits even she isn\u2019t immune.<\/p>\n You might also like to read:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all consumer zombies now,\u201d she says. \u201cIf I asked you what you spent by tapping last weekend, could you tell me? Most people can\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n Her rule isn\u2019t about deprivation, it\u2019s about design. \u201cI don\u2019t save my card on shopping sites. I don\u2019t have it loaded on my phone. The pain of having to get up, find my wallet and type it in gives me just enough pause to think, do I really need this?\u201d<\/p>\n And for those still relying on willpower, she has a warning.<\/p>\n \u201cWillpower is like a muscle, the more you use it, the more it fatigues,\u201d she says. \u201cSo stop relying on it. Build systems that make it harder to sabotage yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n The result is thousands saved, and a new sense of control. \u201cIt\u2019s not about being perfect or never spending,\u201d Browne says. \u201cIt\u2019s about knowing when you\u2019re in control and when you\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n Her parting advice: \u201cMake spending intentional. Add friction. And if alcohol touches your lips tonight, keep your fingers off \u2018add to cart\u2019 till tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n What is the Money Talk podcast? <\/p>\n![\"Download](\"https:\/\/7news.com.au\/static\/media\/right-red-arrow.92bca5db.svg\"){kind=icon}
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