01
Name the job
Write exactly what the purchase is meant to solve. “It is on sale” is not a job. Replacing a broken washer, saving five hours a week, or keeping a child safe are real jobs.
BEFORE THE IMPULSE BECOMES A BILL
Give the purchase a job before you give it your money.
Impulse purchases feel urgent because the decision is happening inside the store, the sale, or the scroll. Burden slows the moment down just enough to compare the excitement with your actual month.
RUN THE FREE CHECKTHE BURDEN STANDARD
A purchase has to survive the month—not just checkout.
Burden weighs the price against your actual household, how often you will use it, the costs that continue after you buy it, and what happens to your emergency cushion.
02
Picture an ordinary year
Estimate how often you will honestly use it after the first month. A useful purchase earns its space and cost repeatedly; a fantasy purchase depends on becoming a different person.
03
Compare the cheaper fix
Consider repair, used, rental, borrowing, delaying, or buying the simpler model. The goal is not always to spend nothing—it is to solve the problem with the least month-ahead impact.
04
Use the 48-hour hold when needed
If the impact is high or the reason still feels emotional, start a voluntary 48-hour hold. You can use Burden throughout the hold and buy at any time; the pause belongs to you.
MONTH-AHEAD IMPACT · NOT A GRADE
Lower is safer. Higher means more strain.
The score measures how hard a purchase presses on your month. It is not a reward score. A lower number means less strain on the household.
- 10–34Lower impact
- 35–61Protect the month
- 62–95High impact
STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Questions people ask before buying
Are all impulse purchases bad?
No. Small joyful purchases can fit a healthy plan. The warning sign is when the purchase steals from bills, emergency savings, or a more important goal.
Why wait 48 hours?
The wait separates a real need from the urgency of a sale, mood, or limited-time message. If the reason still holds up later, you can decide with a clearer head.
Will the app stop me from buying?
No. Burden gives you a Month-Ahead Impact Score and a second opinion. The decision and the timing always stay with you.
NO SIGN-UP · FREE PUBLIC BETA