By Alice Tapper

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Alice Tapper is a trusted financial expert, educator, qualified debt advisor and founder of one of the UK’s biggest personal finance communities, Go Fund Yourself (GFY).

We’ve all been there—making a late-night, dopamine-driven purchase after a tough week, only to come face to face with that all-too-familiar friend, buyer’s remorse, when the package arrives the next day. Kaldi’s recent research confirms that shame-spending is real, and it’s derailing our financial goals. Emotional spending often starts as a way to boost your mood, but when it triggers guilt and regret, it can lead to a cycle that’s hard to break. And with billions spent on algorithmically driven, targeted advertising designed to make us spend, it’s easier than ever to fall into the trap.

A few months ago, someone in the GFY community shared their own frustrations with their spending habits and posted this query in the GFY community forum.

They made a plea for tips and the comments section did not disappoint. Inspired by the best responses, this article explores six ways to make reaching your savings goals more achievable without falling into guilt mode—and how to still enjoy the things you love while making steady progress toward financial freedom. The aim isn’t deprivation—it’s about building small, consistent habits that deliver big results over time.

Hindsight is your best friend

As a member of the GFY community put it perfectly: "My feeling with stuff like this is to look at the stuff you have already that's underused and you think, 'that was a waste.' Money spent on those things could have come in handy for something now." By reflecting on past purchases that didn’t bring lasting value, you can recognise spending patterns to avoid. Actively remembering this lesson can help you pause before buying and ask yourself: "If I spend on this now, what am I denying myself later on—whether it’s savings, future goals, or something I truly need?"

Create a Balance Between Treating Yourself and Saving

Instead of feeling restricted, give yourself permission to indulge—but with boundaries. Set a small monthly budget for treats, and balance it by creating a fun savings goal, like a weekend getaway or a fancy dinner. As one GFY community member wisely shared:

"How I personally stopped myself was by setting a budget for these types of items specifically, so I’m not denying myself the treats but I do have a financial limit each month. I also learned to enjoy saving and watching my money grow! Set a savings target for something fun and short-term (maybe a city break or nice meal), and then actively start topping that up. I try to aim for a ‘best of both worlds’ approach, as I’m gonna buy these things anyway (my vice right now is Elemis skincare 😂), so it’s just about being more mindful! I also don’t buy anything I don’t ‘love’ in the moment, as I know it will never get used."

This approach helps you enjoy small luxuries without guilt while making sure your financial goals stay on track.

Stack Your Savings and Spend Smarter

We all need to spend money, but the key is to make every purchase work harder for you. Maximise value by layering different savings strategies. Start with a credit or loyalty card that earns points. Think Nectar card points at Sainsbury’s and other reward programmes like this. Then combine it with browser tools that automatically find discounts, and use cashback services to recapture a portion of your spending.  Apps like Kaldi take this one step further by investing the cashback you earn from everyday purchases —whether at the supermarket or online—so your savings grow passively. Plus, you can still collect Nectar points, or use other retailer reward programmes, at the same time as using Kaldi. By stacking these methods, you’re not just saving in the short term but building long-term financial value.

Create a “Wants and Needs” List

When you’re tempted to make a purchase, resist the urge to buy it immediately and instead add it to a list on your phone. Revisit the list after a set period, whether it’s a week or a month. If, after this timeframe, you still want the item and can afford it, give yourself permission to buy it—guilt-free.

One community member shared how this strategy opened their eyes:

‍"I actually started to make a list of things I’d seen online and wanted to buy before closing the tab, and it was definitely enlightening, as when I looked back, I’d forgotten about most of the things I’d been enamoured with at the time!"

To take it a step further, you can fund those purchases using cashback earnings from apps like Kaldi, turning impulse buying into a more mindful and rewarding experience.

Create Friction to Resist Impulse Purchases

One of the most frequently mentioned tips from the community is to unsubscribe from marketing emails and delete shopping apps—out of sight, out of mind. Combine this with practical barriers or ‘frictions’, such as turning off one-click checkout options and not auto-saving your payment details. These small steps slow down the buying process and make you more aware of how advertising influences your spending.

You can also set a waiting period before finalising any purchase, giving yourself time to distinguish between the thrill of an impulse buy and the lasting satisfaction of a thoughtful one. Finally, by layering your discounts, for example by using cashback services like Kaldi (see tip 3 on stacking) you can also create a more mindful buying experience, forcing you to stop and think as opposed to shopping on autopilot.  These simple tactics encourage intentional shopping and help you rethink how marketing affects your decisions. 

Give Every Pound a Purpose

Make sure every pound you earn has a purpose by building a spending plan that works for you. This could be a zero-based budget where you assign every pound of your income to a specific expense, savings, or goal. Alternatively, you could allocate percentages—such as a set portion for savings, essentials like bills, and the rest for treats or fun spending.

As one commenter said:

"I follow the 50/30/20 budget with money moved as soon as I get paid. The 30% 'wants' portion goes into a separate account, and all 'fun' things are bought out of there. Any money left at the end of the month goes into a savings pot in that account to build up for a special treat, or to be dipped into if it's a particularly 'fun' month!"

By giving structure to your spending, you can flip the narrative on shame-spending, removing the guilt from buying those ‘little treats’ with your disposable income. Understanding where your money goes also helps you avoid impulsive splurges and provides peace of mind when unexpected expenses, like a broken washing machine, crop up.

Conclusion

Managing your money doesn’t mean cutting out all the things you love or feeling guilty about every purchase. Instead, it’s about creating smarter habits, adding intentionality to your spending, and finding a balance between living for today and preparing for tomorrow. 

Whether you’re unsubscribing from shopping apps, stacking your savings through cashback, or giving every pound a purpose, small shifts can lead to significant long-term progress. Kaldi’s effortless approach to saving helps you “save smart” by turning everyday shopping into investments—without needing to spend more. Their built-in nudges, cashback rewards, and simple UX make saving easier, aligning perfectly with smarter financial habits. 

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