How to Fix My Bad Spending Habit

How to Fix Your Amazon Habit – How Many Packages a Day is Too Many?
By Steven Bernstein, President – Stonewater Financial

Let’s start with an honest question.

How do you know you might have an Amazon problem?

• If the delivery driver knows your dog’s name and your coffee order
• If you’ve stopped asking yourself “What’s in the box?” because you truly have no idea
• If breaking down cardboard has become your primary form of exercise

It might be time for a chat.

The National Picture: You’re Not Alone

You’re in good company. The average American now spends more than $1,500 a year on Amazon purchases, and nearly 50% of U.S. households have at least one package delivered every week. Some take it further, studies show 15% of Amazon Prime members receive deliveries four or more times a week. If you’re on a first-name basis with your UPS driver, you are part of a growing elite club.

Is Daily Delivery a Red Flag? Not Always

Online shopping is convenient. It’s fast. And let’s be honest it gives us a little dopamine boost every time that smiley box shows up. But when “add to cart” becomes muscle memory instead of a conscious decision, that’s when it starts costing more than you realize.

So how many Amazon packages per day is the right number?

• If you own a business and they’re all office supplies, multiple packages might be justified.
• If you’re on your third ring light because “this angle feels different,” we may need to talk.
• If you’ve bought storage bins to organize the broken down cardboard boxes, we may need to talk.

5 Signs Your Amazon Habit is Becoming a Financial Problem

1. You don’t remember what’s arriving anymore.
2. You’ve started hiding boxes from your spouse, roommate, or even your pets.
3. Your credit card statement looks like an Amazon catalog.
4. You shop when you’re bored, stressed, or “just looking.”
5. Your budget’s “miscellaneous” category is basically one word: Amazon.

Sound familiar? You’re not broken, you’re just caught in the buy-now loop. And you can break it without going cold turkey.

How to Break the “Buy Now” Cycle

Ghost the Push Notifications
Amazon is basically that clingy friend who texts “U up?” at 2 AM. Turn off notifications so you’re not tempted to swipe right on every lightning deal.

Add to Cart, Then Go Touch Grass
Literally. Go outside. The sun is free and so is your local park. By the time you’re back, you’ll forget why you thought you needed that glow-in-the-dark mini fridge.

The Screenshots-Only Rule
Instead of buying, take a screenshot of what you want. Make a “Dream Cart” album on your phone. Review it in a week and see if half of it doesn’t make you cringe.

Make It a Group Chat Roast
Before hitting “Buy Now,” drop the link into a group chat of friends who are brutally honest. If they roast you, you just saved money.

Level Up IRL (In Real Life)
Think of your money like points in a game. Spend it on real-life upgrades, business skills, experiences, or investments instead of digital loot boxes that show up in brown cardboard.

The 24-Hour Rule, But With a Twist
Add it to cart and set a timer for 24 hours. If you still want it when the alarm goes off, fine. If not, congrats, you just unlocked the “Impulse Control” achievement.

Final Thought
I’m not here to villainize convenience. In today’s world, some online shopping is inevitable. But if your front porch looks like a distribution hub and it’s starting to slow down your bigger life goals, it’s time to pause.

At Stonewater, we can’t turn off your Buy Now button, but we can help you make sure your spending matches what matters most to you. We’ll help you see where your money’s going, create a plan for what you want it to do, and align your wealth with your long-term priorities.

Because it’s not about eliminating packages, it’s about making sure what’s in them is worth it.

Let’s talk.

Stonewater Financial – Helping you build wealth with clarity, not cardboard.