My Unique 10 Minute Rule – Saving Money and Eating Well

Impulse buys. Quick lunch grabs. Those little moments when your stomach rules your wallet.
I’d been caught in a cycle: Tesco meal deals, bakery treats, anything that was warm, cheap, and conveniently packaged. They tasted fine, but my wallet felt lighter and my health… less so.

Enter the 10 Minute Rule — a tiny pause that has quietly shifted both what I eat and how I think about money.

The Rule That Changed My Lunches (and My Spending)

Here’s the rule in its simplest form:
If I want junk food, I wait ten minutes. If I still really want it after that, I can have it.

Simple, right? Yet surprisingly effective.

The idea actually came from ChatGPT. I explained my sandwich woes — a basic cheese sandwich that was somehow uninspiring — and it suggested a pause. Ten minutes. I thought, fine, I can wait ten minutes… but just long enough to make me reconsider, short enough that it’s not torture.

It works because most of the time, by the time ten minutes pass, I realise I don’t really want the food at all. It’s almost magical how a small delay can shift your choices.

Why It Works (Even When It Shouldn’t)

There’s a funny mix of psychology and practicality here. That brief pause interrupts the impulse. By the time I’m walking past Greggs or the local bakery, the craving often evaporates.

In the last ten days, I’ve happily passed all the usual suspects — Greggs, meal deals, warm cheap food — with only one failure. One. Out of ten. And honestly, one slip is still a success.

Sometimes it’s not about willpower. It’s about creating space for awareness. One minute I’m thinking “I need that sausage roll,” the next I’m thinking “I actually don’t.”

And even that one failure was educational: it reminded me that rules are guides, not punishments. I didn’t feel guilty — I reflected and adjusted for next time.

The Cost of Convenience (And Why It’s Not So Convenient)

Let’s talk numbers because this is Slow Burn Club after all.

A £3.50 meal deal, five days a week, comes to £70 a month — that’s £840 a year.

Here’s the kicker from a Financial Independence perspective: to fund that £70/month indefinitely at a 4% Safe Withdrawal Rate, I’d need £21,000 invested.

Cutting out that impulse spending now doesn’t just save small change — it lowers my “enough” number for the future, while also building habits that support healthy eating.

Double win: fewer pounds spent today, fewer thousands to save tomorrow.

And it’s not just about the money. I’ve noticed that when I skip a meal deal, I don’t just save cash — I avoid the post-lunch slump and the bloated feeling. My energy feels steadier, my wallet heavier, and my brain a little clearer.

The Joy of Simple Food (And Control)

I’ve replaced quick-grab meals with things that actually feel satisfying:

• Home-baked rolls, warm and soft.
• Two-minute dhals that are surprisingly filling and comforting.
• Leftover roasted vegetables turned into a quick, hearty wrap.

The act of making my own food has become a quiet joy. It’s not just about saving money — it’s about reclaiming control, enjoying the process, and noticing what I actually want to eat.

Sometimes I find myself smiling while chopping onions or stirring dhal, thinking: “I’m doing something for me, not just for convenience.” That small shift in intention makes all the difference.

Small Systems, Big Impact

The 10 Minute Rule works best when paired with a few simple habits:

• Prep a backup lunch or snack — knowing something is ready removes panic cravings.
• Notice patterns — when do your impulses hit? How do you feel afterward?
• Allow small failures — one slip in ten days is a lesson, not a catastrophe.
• Reflect on spending — those small choices compound over time, both in your health and your wallet.
• Celebrate tiny wins — even passing a bakery without thinking twice is worth a mini cheer.

The real trick: tiny, repeatable actions build momentum. Over time, skipping a £3.50 meal deal doesn’t feel like sacrifice — it feels like calm control.

Funny Aside: ChatGPT as My Lunch Coach

I know it sounds a bit surreal, but having ChatGPT as a lunch coach has been oddly brilliant. I started by asking it how to stop buying junk food and why I kept doing it. It responded with clarifying questions — “When do you usually buy it? Where are you? What’s your routine?” — and suddenly, my mind was nudged into noticing patterns I’d barely thought about.

Its tone is almost unnervingly cheerful. Imagine a tiny, beeping robot sitting on your shoulder, quietly encouraging every wise choice. I check in with it once a day, mainly to reflect on how I’ve done, and somehow, that positivity keeps me going.

One memorable day: it was raining, I was walking past Greggs, and the craving for a sausage roll hit. Normally, I’d have succumbed without a second thought. But ChatGPT had reminded me of my routines, and suggested a simple pause — the 10 Minute Rule. I waited, shivering slightly under my umbrella, and by the time ten minutes passed, the craving had evaporated. I came home, made a quick, warm dhal, and actually enjoyed the meal more than any pastry could have delivered.

The advice is surprisingly human. It considers context — even the weather — and nudges me toward practical choices. I like to think of my little digital ally beeping happily whenever I make the right decision. Beyond just stopping impulse buys, it’s been great for helping me get creative in the kitchen, coming up with recipes from whatever’s in the cupboard.

ChatGPT as a lunch coach is absurd, slightly surreal, but undeniably effective — and strangely motivating.

Reflection – Building Habits That Stick

What’s remarkable is how small interventions can ripple outward. Ten minutes might seem trivial, but it teaches patience, awareness, and self-control.

I’ve found it quietly satisfying to watch small changes compound: less junk food, more intentional meals, and the growing knowledge that I’m making small wins count toward bigger goals — both health and Financial Independence.

This rule isn’t about restriction; it’s about creating freedom. Freedom from impulse, from waste, and from the little regrets that quietly add up.

Gentle Questions for the Road

Sometimes, the smallest habits are the most transformative. As you sip your tea (or coffee, or chai), consider:

1. What’s one small rule you could add to your day to make spending or eating simpler?
2. How often do you buy things — or snacks — just because they’re easy, not because you really want them?
3. Could pausing — even briefly — help you feel more in charge of your choices?
4. How might tiny wins compound over time in your health, habits, or finances?

Tiny pauses, tiny wins. And in those small, deliberate moments, you might just find a surprising sense of calm control.