Instant gratification is indulging in short-term pleasure that might eventually lead to long-term pain while with delayed gratification you ward off short-term temptations that might distract you from your long-term goals. Delayed gratification involves a lot of will power however it gives us a sense of control over our life.

Years ago, the only way you could purchase an item was when you went to the market. It was easier then to satisfy only your needs and manage your finances. However over the past years, we have moved to immediacy through on-line shopping. Retail shopping is fast becoming a thing of the past.


Shopping these days is just a click away that we do not even need to get out our pyjamas. The e-commerce industry is growing at such a fast rate that I have lost count of the on-line shopping portals we have in Nigeria alone. Everyone seems to want instant gratification. While, it is all fun and convenient to be able to purchase what you want with just a click, have we taken time to consider it’s effect on our spending culture.

I am a savvy spender and I thought I had mastered the act of discipline, but ever since I discovered Chicken Republic’s on-line delivery service, having lunch at my office canteen no longer seems appealing. With just a click, and 30 mins later, I have my piping hot crunchy chicken wings before me. My wake up call was when I decided to calculate how much I spent on on-line food ordering in June 2015, it came to over N18,000.

Going through my bank statement, I saw that my debits came mostly from Konga on-line shop. With their adverts glaring at my face each time I open my computer, I am now almost confused and can no longer differentiate my want from need. Once I see an item I like, I convince myself that I need it. But the truth is, if I hadn’t seen the item, I won’t have had a need for it.

This month of August, I am taking charge of my spending habits and I will be practising the act of delayed gratification so as to strengthen your mind, re-build my willpower and self-discipline, and also to teach myself about the value of patience.

Do you share the same/different view with me? Feel free to comment below.

Visit www.akaglue.com for more personal finance tips.

Work on yourself, e-commerce is the best opportunity that technology is giving us.


I love the sound of global market!