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  "description": "Maybe it’s time to make spending your money a little harder.",
  "path": "/add-friction-to-your-finances/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-06T14:30:07.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.thepurse.co",
  "tags": [
    "_Greenlight_",
    "__Fill out this form to let us know__",
    "_Instagram_",
    "_even be our friends_",
    "_The Cut called them_",
    "_I wrote about_",
    "_betting apps and digital prediction markets_",
    "__add_ a lot of friction_",
    "_simply talk to someone when something goes wrong_",
    "_“nudge” theory of behavioral economics_",
    "_we covered “looksmaxxing,”_",
    "_“friction-maxxing” is a play on that_",
    "_but I arrived at it independently_",
    "_related essay_",
    "_enshittification_",
    "_rule was blocked_",
    "_introduced bipartisan bills_",
    "_Recent research_",
    "_also covered friction-maxxing_",
    "_won’t actually solve your problem_",
    "_Greenlight_",
    "_Greenlight plans_",
    "_here_",
    "_job cuts_",
    "_this story about Martin Weil_",
    "Platonic Love",
    "_beautiful essay_",
    "_she had it in Lockdown Mode_",
    "Babylist",
    "530A accounts",
    "**_Fill out this form_**",
    "_new newsletter_",
    "Greenlight",
    "Marissa Alper",
    "Everything We Published on The Purse in January 2026A big month for The Purse!The PurseLindsey Stanberry",
    "Best Way to Support a Friend After a LayoffLet us know in the comments.The PurseAlicia Adamczyk",
    "13 women’s best salary negotiation adviceReal women on the best salary-related advice they’ve received and their biggest pay regrets.The PurseAlicia Adamczyk",
    "What I Spent After My Uhaul Was Stolen and I Lost EverythingHow do you calculate the cost of replacing all of your life’s possessions?The PurseTrey Williams",
    "Take a peek at the first Purse event of 2026We had the best time making vision boards!The PurseLindsey Stanberry",
    "_The decision to (finally?) have kids in your 30s_",
    "__Fidelity Investments research__",
    "_Christine Tyler Hill’s mail club_"
  ],
  "textContent": "> _This newsletter is brought to you by_ _Greenlight_ _._\n\n_Quick before we dive into today's newsletter. Ahead of the Super Bowl, we’re wondering: Do you or your spouse/partner bet on sports? Are you betting on the Super Bowl?___Fill out this form to let us know__ _. We'll be sharing what we learn on_ _Instagram_ _(but it will be anonymous)!_\n\nOver the past few decades, academics and policymakers have been focused on taking the friction out of saving and investing money. Whether it’s promoting auto-transfers to savings accounts or auto-escalations in retirement accounts, the goal has been to take the hassle out of doing the right thing for your financial future.\n\nAnd many of these tech-enabled advancements have arguably had a positive impact on the average person’s money management. Plenty of you can think of one or two systems that have helped you save more or invest more consistently, whether it’s your employer enrolling you in your 401(k) without you needing to opt in, or setting up auto-pay on your credit card so you never have to worry again about a late payment.\n\nBut over the past few years, it’s become more clear that automation and streamlining processes can also have deleterious effects. Removing the friction of manually making deposits into your savings account might be a good thing, but eliminating any and all hurdles to buying anything under the sun is not.\n\nA little friction, I’ve increasingly come to believe, can be a good thing.\n\nI’m certainly not the first to suggest making things a bit harder on yourself can actually be a boon to your finances. That line of thinking is why all-cash budgets can be popular strategies for saving money; physically handling your budgeted dollars makes them a little more difficult to spend, and if you run out, well, you can’t just keep swiping a card for more. You’re putting obstacles in your own way.\n\nThere is also an increasingly popular movement to embrace friction in other parts of life; see: the backlash to generative AI. Tech companies, especially, make a lot of money when their apps and products work as seamlessly as possible and their algorithms keep you scrolling. They can think for us, take tests for us, craft emails for us— _even be our friends_ so we don’t have to do the hard work of making a real one. Understanding how these “friction-elimination tools,” as _The Cut called them_, work can also have a big impact on your money, which _I wrote about_ last year.\n\nAnyway, back to your financial habits, specifically. Think about all the ways companies have made it easier for you to spend money without thinking too hard about it: auto-renewing subscriptions, buy-now-pay-later options integrated into every store’s checkout system, “buy now” buttons that bypass shopping carts, and more access than ever to credit cards and other debt instruments, which can be saved into a retailer’s system so you don’t even have to get off the couch to get your wallet when you want to make a purchase from your phone. And let’s not even get into _betting apps and digital prediction markets_, which have made it easier than ever to gamble.\n\nThe popular food delivery app that some of us may default to after a long day is literally called Seamless. And the ease with which you can use it belies the fact that food delivery (or having an on-demand driver, etc.) is a luxury for most people, not a necessity. But meal planning and cooking our own food every day takes a lot of work, so we understandably shell out for the treat. No judgement from me; I ordered ramen last night.\n\nConveniently, the same companies continuously reducing the friction it takes to purchase something sure do __add_ a lot of friction_ to the experience when users wish to cancel those subscriptions, request refunds, or _simply talk to someone when something goes wrong_. They know adding a few extra steps to the process means you’re likely to just give up.\n\nSo how can you make the things that _drain_ your bank account a little more difficult to access? We all have our own rules when it comes to spending and saving, but implementing some stricter ones can be a good start. That’s where tips like “wait 24 or 48 hours to buy something” or “delete your credit card autofill data” come into play. Jumping through even a single hoop in order to buy something very often means you won’t, especially if it’s an impulse purchase.\n\nMore broadly, adding some friction can be an antidote to overconsumption. If you’re able, that could mean implementing bigger lifestyle changes like canceling your Amazon Prime membership and making the trek to the store when you need to buy something. (I know some people are going to push back against this one specific example, but let’s all give me the benefit of the doubt and know that I’m talking about the people who live near other stores, aren’t swamped with childcare duties, are able bodied, etc.) A smaller step: allowing yourself to order from online stores only one day each week or month.\n\nI think we could all do with adding a little sludge to the mix if we’re trying to change or just be more mindful of a specific financial behavior. Coined by Cass Sunstein, the well-known scholar behind the _“nudge” theory of behavioral economics_, “sludge” basically refers to red tape. It will make some things inconvenient—and that’s the point.\n\nSo much of automation is marketed as being about efficiency or freeing up time for us to do other things. But what are the other things we are then free to do? Spend more time on another billionaire’s app? Maybe life is all the friction we optimized out along the way.\n\n-_Alicia_\n\n## **Consumer friction in the news**\n\n  * A couple weeks ago, _we covered “looksmaxxing,”_ or the attempt to maximize one’s physical attractiveness. Well, _“friction-maxxing” is a play on that_. (Writing this essay made me feel a little bit like Pete Campbell from _Mad Men_ —the idea already existed out there, _but I arrived at it independently_!)\n  * In a _related essay_ on friction in the broader economy, the economist Kyla Scanlon writes: “Friction isn’t the enemy!!!! It’s information. It tells us where things are straining and where care is needed and where attention should go.”\n  * A related topic: _enshittification_. Tech platforms have perfected taking your money; meanwhile, their core products get worse and worse.\n  * Speaking of adding friction to the cancellation process, the Biden Administration implemented a “click to cancel” rule that would have required businesses to make it as easy for consumers to cancel subscriptions as it is to sign up for them. That _rule was blocked_ by a federal appeals court.\n  * That said, both the House and Senate have _introduced bipartisan bills_ that would require companies to make it easier for consumers to cancel subscriptions and memberships.\n  * _Recent research_ has found that auto-enrollment and auto-escalation might not be the amazing panaceas to America’s retirement crisis we all hoped.\n  * Friend of The Purse Hanna Horvath _also covered friction-maxxing_.\n  * Kate Lindsay, who writes the newsletter Embedded, recently wrote about how horrible it is to deal with customer service bots that _won’t actually solve your problem_.\n\n\n\n## **What else we’re talking about**\n\n  * My nine-year-old is obsessed with getting a “day job” (his words), and because I don’t believe in paying him to do chores (I don’t get paid to do laundry), I’ve been trying to come up with tasks he could do to earn extra cash. (Any suggestions?) The other project on my to-do list? Find a way to pay him. Many of my mom friends rave about _Greenlight_, which is a family finance platform that offers debit cards for kids. Added bonus: There are a lot of smart safety features, including family location sharing, so as Freddy begins to be more independent, we can stay connected. _Greenlight plans_ start at just $5.99 a month. Click _here_ for more info. #Partner\n  * I could link to 12 different things related to the devastating _Washington Post_ _job cuts_ this week, but _this story about Martin Weil_, who has worked on the local news desk since 1965 and was one of those let go, really got me. _-Alicia_\n  * Over on Platonic Love, Aliza Sir wrote a _beautiful essay_ about her infertility experience and her 2026 resolution to get comfortable asking for help. _-Lindsey_\n  * Another WaPo-related tidbit: The federal government reportedly couldn’t get into a WaPo reporter’s phone it seized because _she had it in Lockdown Mode_. I wasn’t familiar with that setting, but it feels like something more of us should be using for our own privacy. _-Alicia_\n\n\n\n## **On our radar**\n\n  * Over the next few months, we’re teaming up with Babylist to do a deep dive into 530A accounts (aka Trump Accounts) as well as all things related to helping families build their savings. As part of the partnership, we’re looking to speak to real people about their experiences saving up for a baby. Want to share your story? **_Fill out this form_**. We really want to tell all kinds of stories, from those getting help from grandma and grandpa to anyone who’s wondering how the heck they’re going to afford daycare. Everything will be anonymous. We promise it will be fun!\n  * My friend Chancellor has a _new newsletter_ called Content Never Sleeps about his TV/movie/culture recs. He’s a long-time entertainment journalist who now works at Netflix. Check it out! _- Alicia_\n  * We celebrated the website launch and rebrand on Tuesday with a bunch of our nearest and dearest at Beverly’s in Chinatown. It was the most fun time! A big thank-you to Greenlight for sponsoring the event!\n\nWe had a great time! Photo by Marissa Alper.\n\n## **What else we published on The Purse this week**\n\n _It was our first full week publishing daily content. Here’s what you might have missed!_\n\n Everything We Published on The Purse in January 2026A big month for The Purse!The PurseLindsey Stanberry\n\n(for paid subscribers)\n\nBest Way to Support a Friend After a LayoffLet us know in the comments.The PurseAlicia Adamczyk13 women’s best salary negotiation adviceReal women on the best salary-related advice they’ve received and their biggest pay regrets.The PurseAlicia AdamczykWhat I Spent After My Uhaul Was Stolen and I Lost EverythingHow do you calculate the cost of replacing all of your life’s possessions?The PurseTrey Williams\n\nOur latest What It Cost Me!\n\nTake a peek at the first Purse event of 2026We had the best time making vision boards!The PurseLindsey Stanberry\n\n## **Comment of the week**\n\n“I’m ambivalent about kids but also want my parents to be grandparents, and I hate that time marches on/aging considerations!” _-Ana on “_ _The decision to (finally?) have kids in your 30s_._”_\n\n## **Stat of the week**\n\nRetirement balances are 30% lower for employees 50+ with student loan debt and 20% lower for those ages 18 to 49._-___Fidelity Investments research__\n\n## **Best money we spent this week**\n\n  * I did a good job not spending too much money this week, but I did subscribe to _Christine Tyler Hill’s mail club_ to get her paper zine sent to me each month! ($8) _- Alicia_\n  * My kid asked if we could stop by the bodega and buy a bag of Takis on the walk to piano lessons, and it felt nice to say yes to such a small treat (and was hilarious watching him try to eat the spicy chips). I’ve been working a lot lately, and I'm trying to savor our time together. ($3) _- Lindsey_\n\n\n\nSubscribe now",
  "title": "Why not add a little friction to your finances?",
  "updatedAt": "2026-02-06T14:30:07.000Z"
}