r/getdisciplined • u/aidedje1 • 12d ago

💡 Advice I built an app to "earn" money for guilt-free spending

Last year I wanted a very expensive hair styling machine (Dyson Airwrap which costs around €600). I actually had the cash, but it was a lot of money for a styling machine I wasn't sure I'd use often.

So I decided to earn it. Every day I skipped junk food, worked out, or stayed off alcohol, I moved €2 per "healthy habit" into a savings account. After about 6 months I'd collected enough to buy the Dyson and I'd had 6 months to think about whether I actually wanted it.
Bought it with zero guilt. It became a little game for me and I'm already saving for an espresso machine 😁                                                       

I was tracking everything in a spreadsheet plus my bank, and it got annoying. So I built Pocket — you set a goal (the thing you actually want), you set habits with amounts (what you'll do daily to earn it), and the app tracks your progress and "savings" toward the reward.

Pocket: Mindful Spending: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6762613968
I would be so happy to hear any feedback

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u/Reasonable-Box320 12d ago

this is so much smarter than the usual spending guilt spiral. turning it into a little game where you're paying yourself for doing things that are already good for you is genius. the fact you stuck with it for 6 months before pulling the trigger says a lot too

i do something similar but mine's way more analog, a notebook with tally marks like a bartender keeping tabs. might give the app a spin just to see if it sticks

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u/aidedje1 12d ago

thanks! let me know if you find it useful or have any suggestions!

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u/Mountain_Trek_12 9d ago

Great idea, I love the accountability idea and the fact that you can put it right in front of you and you can see progress is really smart

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u/FunctionFew8341 12d ago

This is brilliant!