Ever wonder why you don’t have a fancy summer camp fund for your kids? Blame it on your recent last-minute decision at the checkout counter to buy a bag of organically dried, chocolate-coated mango leaves. Impulse purchases, according to a study by slickdeals.net,  of items such as food, clothing, and stuff for our homes, are costing us on average $5400 a year. These are items we didn’t plan, never needed, but wound up paying for in more ways than one. Not only did we hand over our money in exchange for instant gratification but we also, little by little, dish towel by wedge sandal, quinoa patty by brown-sugar bar, we spent enough for a down payment on a brand new husband. Or a car, whatever you find easier to trade in.

We must stop this spending and good news, research shows it’s easy. All we have to do is think – reflect, really – on a possession we already own and have recently enjoyed, according to research from Rice University.  So if you’re browsing the shops for your mother-in-law’s birthday gift (humor me) and know you’ll soon be tempted by some sandals for yourself, stop and think about your at-home shoe collection or even the new salt shakers that have made it easy to flavor food. The desire to consume, say the researchers, is limited. Just like willpower or your leg muscles, it becomes depleted over time and reflecting about some recent purchases can help you feel satisfied with everything your already own.

“Reflection is about thinking deeply and remembering in detail how you used any one of your possessions recently,” says Utpal Dholakia, a marketing professor at Rice. “We’ve found it helps if the reflected upon possession is something functional, like kitchen equipment, a lawn mower or a wristwatch.”