Real budgeting for people with dopamine addictions, emotional-support butter, and existential dread. Or just you know, preparing for the Halloween candy hangover
Sandton Debt Counselling is a leading, NCR-registered debt review company in South Africa, helping consumers regain control of their finances with dignity and precision. Our team specialises in highly precise debt restructuring, legal, and long-term financial wellness. Becoming debt-free isn’t only a mere process, it’s a turning point.
NCRDC3360 | Nadia de Weerdt Registered Debt Counsellor
The problem in our current culture? A need for that dopamine rush -the instant reward that we are apparently fueled by. The candy we binge on and regret later.
This comes as Facebook scrolling turned to Instagram likes, to TikTok trends, to Temu spends. As humans, it seems we’re always trying to chase the next high - or at least make it a bearable kind of Tuesday.
When it comes to your money though, this becomes a tricky tightrope to balance.
My first word of budgeting advice, before we even hit the sheets -spreadsheets, okay -is to practice patience. Delaying gratification can help undo some of the damage done by the loud world that’s been screaming “Now!” into your ears.
My example is called “Weekend Coffee.”
Yes, I’m a millennial - an early one. Does it show? Back in my day, we put our allowance money into envelopes and divided the grocery budget the same way.
We have normal coffee that’s affordable, and weekend coffee that would be unsustainable. By “we,” I mean me and my daughter. We agree that the wrong butter can ruin your day and that certain small joys are sacred. We prefer a specific brand of margarine spread and found that certain things should rather not be compromised on, or they’ll suck the energy right out of your soul.
All this sounds counter-intuitive for a budgeting advice section, doesn’t it? When really, the lesson is that you can give yourself those treats you need - just not as much or as often, and not without structure and discipline. Knowing that it’s Friday and I get to have weekend coffee has made the week bearable. It is my reward for surviving the week and a signal to switch into weekend mode.
The point? Treats are allowed, just not every day. The anticipation itself becomes the treat. Because if everything is special, nothing is. The brain is wired to want more, and the wanting never ends. The ultimate cheat code that makes your brain behave?
Delay gratification by saying: “Not yet.” Or, in South African terms… “now-now.” Snooze the impulse. Whatever it is -the sale, the gadget, the dopamine hit -postpone it.
That pause is power. You’re teaching your brain that patience isn’t punishment- it’s a necessary pause.
To achieve the pause you will require a tiny bit of a dopamine detox to get this done, but it’s not actually as hard as you imagine it would be. While the aim is not to completely avoid all things fun- it is to delay it. Not cancel it completely. The more you withhold pleasures and rewards, the more you will crave it. So if the detox is done in moderation with a mind to delay gratification instead of fully terminating it- your benefits increase more.
Practice saying maybe. Practice the pause. Because impulsive “yes” decisions are the fastest way to break your budget -and your peace of mind.
I can give you all the real budgeting advice in the world and it would disappear into the ether, simply because instant answers are wired. You cannot “consider a purchase” if you haven’t learnt how to consider in the first place. And you cannot consider if you need a Debt Review Assessment if you’re still reaching for another quick fix.
If your finances feel scarier than Halloween, it may be time for a Debt Review Assessment -I can help. Follow this link to lead you to our contact form.
Next Friday: The paradox of Schrödinger’s Money -when your salary both exists and doesn’t. For now, just practice saying “Not yet.” Your wallet will thank you later.