There’s always something to tempt us into parting with our money, but by adopting ‘semi-delayed gratification’ you can enjoy the best of both worlds

From TV streaming services to online shopping to food delivery apps, instant gratification is a huge part of modern life. If we want it, it’s only a click away and getting it feels good. But instant gratification can be ruinously expensive, highly addictive and stop us from achieving our long-term financial goals.

“Smartphones and social media lead to endless scrolling with product placement and adverts delving into our subconscious, triggering the impulse to buy now,” says Rachel Jones, senior marketing manager at Coventry Building Society. “We have become a nation fixed on the dopamine hit of online purchases.” Delayed gratification – the idea of deferring something that we want – feels like part of an increasingly distant past.