Avoid provoking factors
When you go out to party with friends and don’t want to spend too much, leave the card linked to your current spending account at home or withdraw the amount planned for entertainment in cash if you have the only card. This will help keep you from making decisions that only seem right in the moment, like paying for everyone at the bar.
Of course, you can still use your smartphone and banking app to treat your friends. But remember: the quality of your spending can be greatly improved by avoiding situations that provoke rash decisions.
Take into account the natural desire for more
Imagine a young man who grew up in poverty. He dreams of having his own place and is sure that this is what will bring him happiness. He does everything he can to achieve what he wants, and at the age of 25, after graduating from university and working hard in a stable job for several years, he finally takes out a mortgage. He’s happy. But two years later his friends move out of the rented flat and into their own house. And his own living space no longer seems as luxurious as it used to be.
Our opinions about what will make us truly happy are constantly changing, and the ways to achieve happiness are getting more expensive. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with setting ambitious goals for yourself. But constantly striving for more can be destructive.
When we attribute our well-being and enjoyment of life to external factors, we fall into the trap of hedonic adaptation. That is, our level of happiness always remains stable, and we quickly return to it even after important positive changes. In other words, no matter how much power and money we have, we always want more.
The alternative to hedonism is eudaemonism. It has six dimensions:
Self-knowledge;
development of potential;
a sense of purpose and meaning in life;
effort invested in achieving brilliant results;
deep involvement in any activity;
enjoyment of activity as a means of self-expression.
Eudaemonism is a more personalised and much more sustainable approach to happiness than hedonism. Two practical ways to overcome hedonistic adaptation will help. The first is to temporarily stop buying unnecessary things, for example for 30 days, a few months or even a year. The second is to keep a list of unnecessary purchases and add items to it every time you feel like buying something. Then set a rule for how long an item has to be on the list before you spend money on it: 24 hours, a week, or a few months. This is a good way to train your brain to get deferred gratification.
Make an effort
You don’t need special technical skills to apply a split-spending system. It just takes time and focused effort. Effort is something you can control and even turn into a habit. Which means it all depends on your willingness.
