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Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

nopeit.app

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Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#11

Post by pjcodes »

rconti wrote: post #4
echoangle wrote: post #3

> Cost Re-framing (Work Hours Psychology): It immediately translates the item's price into a more tangible metric: This $80 gadget costs you 4 hours of your work. This technique, known as "opportunity cost visualization," makes the trade-off much more real. I already do this automatically myself but this only makes me more likely to buy stuff I want. Because many things are so crazy cheap that the time you need to wo…

I had this problem when I started budgeting/tracking my money more closely. Turns out I don't spend ENOUGH money on my hobbies! :D

That’s honestly such a good takeaway. Sometimes tracking your money doesn’t reveal overspending; it shows that you’ve been neglecting the parts of your life that bring you joy.

You’re exactly the kind of person I created this for. I’m not against spending at all. The goal is to spend with purpose. When you do buy something, especially related to your hobbies, it should feel earned, guilt-free, and in line with what you truly value not just random temptations from scrolling.

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#12

Post by pjcodes »

iJohnDoe wrote: post #9

Since I know I won’t build a financial app, I offer this idea to everyone. You know those apps that round up your transactions on your debit card and it builds up savings over time? Do this same exact concept but have the money that builds up be used to pay down credit card debt. Even if it’s not much, any extra dollar makes a difference. To make the app really effective it needs to be able to pay the credit card dir…

That’s a great idea.

Currently, my app focuses on preventing unnecessary spending and directing that "almost spent" money into savings, but I'm definitely noting this feedback.

Connecting directly to the card and pushing payments would require a larger integration project. However, this is exactly the type of feedback I need for planning my roadmap.

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#13

Post by pjcodes »

rconti wrote: post #5

Under cost re-framing and goal redirection, it might be neat to add something like "how much this amount of money would net you in 5/10 years at 7% growth" for example. (Ties into the down payment category, perhaps).

Believe me, this is such a great idea that I recently received exactly the same feedback.

It's already on my roadmap because the user indicated that it would be effective to demonstrate "what this skipped purchase could grow into in 5/10 years at X% compounding."

The concept would be: rather than merely saving $80 today, demonstrate that, at a 7% annual growth rate, it will reach $157 in ten years, making the "opportunity cost" even more difficult to overlook (and much more motivating if you're saving for things like a down payment).

You have no idea how much these suggestions are helping me shape the next wave of features, so please keep coming.

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#14

Post by pjcodes »

nihiven wrote: post #2

How is the app triggered? There is a graphic that makes it seem like the app can detect impulse buys: iPhone 16 Pro Max $1,625 IMPULSE DETECTED I think this is a good idea I'm just not convinced I would manually interrupt my impulse buys to pull up the app to stop my impulse buys. How does the app introduce friction to the purchase process?

For the time being, the "IMPULSE DETECTED" graphic is more of a conceptual representation than a real-time detection function.

The app currently depends on you manually recording a "impulse moment," which is essentially any time you catch yourself on the verge of making an unnecessary purchase. The idea is to create just enough friction to get you to stop doing things automatically. Launch the app → input the item → feel the 24-hour timer and let work-hours cost hit you → ideally, choose to skip and "pay yourself" instead.

Having said that, I'm evaluating out potential future integrations because many users have requested automatic impulse detection or more intelligent nudges.

So short answer: currently user-triggered, future versions will make that trigger smarter and more automatic.

Really appreciate you asking. This kind of feedback helps me prioritise what to build next

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#15

Post by pjcodes »

LorenDB wrote: post #7

I don't see why I would need an entire webapp to divide a price tag by my hourly wage.

True enough, I wouldn't require an entire webapp if it only involved dividing a price by my hourly rate.

As x-complexity pointed out, the true value arises when I'm not acting rationally. I won't open a calculator in the heat of the moment, but I will open something that’s designed to interrupt me, slap me with the true cost, start a 24-hr timer, and then redirect the money somewhere meaningful if I choose to skip.

It’s less about the calculation, and more about the friction + psychology + follow through. I basically built the app to be the version of me who shows up when the rational version has left the chat

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#16

Post by pjcodes »

x-complexity wrote: post #8
LorenDB wrote: post #7

I don't see why I would need an entire webapp to divide a price tag by my hourly wage.

You're rationally thinking about this, not the impulsive state someone will be in when impulse buying (where math rarely occurs, if ever). Visually showing alternatives to the impulse buyer adds friction between the user & the purchase, and when compared to the original seamless shopping experience, that's enough to slow down impulse purchases.

Thanks, much appreciated!

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#17

Post by gautamjain0111 »

Hey, apps that focus on preventing impulsive buying offer real value. They boost financial awareness, reinforce good habits, and provide useful decision-making tools.

However, a truly effective app should make its most helpful features accessible without aggressive upselling and should provide deeper, customizable reflection on spending choices.

For anyone frequently struggling with impulsive buying, these apps offer a solid starting point. Just be mindful of the cost-to-benefit tradeoff.

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#19

Post by pjcodes »

It is so good to see everyone’s feedback to this point and I hope you understand I am still creating things based on your thinking and feedback.

Quite a number of users suggested that it makes more sense to plug in disposable income instead of your total salary, the income left after essentials like rent, groceries, and other bills, because it gives a much more realistic work hour cost of an impulse buy.

Does that make sense to everyone else and do you think the calculation inside the application should, by default, rely on disposable income instead of your annual salary?

I would also like to state that as appreciation to all users testing the application at this early stage, I will begin to award users with premium access for a week so that users are able to experience the complete version(including personalised work-hours logic) of the application, so you can just go to Settings and put in your disposable income and test the app out.

I would really appreciate your feedback on this concept to allow me to work on the idea and implement it as soon as possible.

Re: Show HN: Turn impulse buys into dream investments

#20

Post by pjcodes »

gautamjain0111 wrote: post #18

Meanwhile a suggested feature you can consider No Spend Challenge Tracker - The app includes a calendar where users can visually track no-spend days, helping to reinforce positive habits and also can collect reward points.

This seems like an awesome idea. I am adding this to my roadmap, you might see it in the app soon. Thanks
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