Diderot Effect

The tendency of one purchase to lead to another.

• Buying new furniture leads to buying other furniture to match.
• Buying new clothes leads to buying accessories to match.
• Buying new technology leads to other technology upgrades.

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Key Insights & Principles

Personal Finance & Habits

1. Obtaining new possessions often leads to other purchases and cycles of consumption and spending.
2. Actions cue other behaviours.
3. We can build positive habits by linking new habits to existing ones.

1. Actively work to create an anti-Diderot Effect by regularly minimising material items.
2. Use actions to cue positive behaviour by habit stacking.

Book References