What spending threshold should trigger a full checklist?

Detailed Explanation

There is no universal number, because the right threshold is relative to your income and buffer rather than absolute. A workable approach is to set two: a lower amount above which you pause and confirm the purchase is planned, and a higher one above which you require a written comparison of alternatives and a night's delay before committing. Writing both down in advance is the point. A threshold decided in the moment is not a guardrail — it is the same impulse wearing a rule's clothing.