500 yen of spending that prevents me from spending 5000 yen

Something I've found myself doing a little more recently is treating myself to little indulgences that spark joy, but in a way that feels financially manageable and stops me from splurging on bigger-ticket items.

One of those go-to things is a small bouquet of flowers from my local JA Farmer's Market. They are usually priced around 500 yen, and I really believe they help stop the urge to shop for other things.

There's a name for this kind of behavior, and it’s called the lipstick effect. I've written about it here on City-Cost before, but it refers to how people tend to buy small luxuries (e.g. lipstick instead of a new dress) as a way to feel good without spending too much in uncertain economic times.

Do you have a version of the lipstick effect in your own life lately?