Apply the $100 Rule to Kill Impulse Purchases [Money]

When a surge of guilt hits just as you're digging your fingernails into the shrink wrap around your latest gadget, you know you've probably made a rushed, unhealthy impulse purchase. The No Credit Needed financial blog suggests a "$100 rule," in which any purchase price is divided by that amount and considered for that many days—a $300 PlayStation 3 gets re-considered for three days, a $1,400 MacBook is delayed for two weeks of researching, and so forth. I'd have to scale that rule down to $50, or else end up arriving home with a new Wii game every Friday, but as the author notes, the rule also gives you time to research better prices or deals before giving in and splurging. What's your preferred system or habit to counteract quick-draw credit card swiping? Share your secret in the comments. Photo by liewcf.
The $100-A-Day-Rule Prevents Impulse Buying [No Credit Needed via Get Rich Slowly]