I Tried the 30/30 Rule, and I Discovered Something Unexpected
I tend to overthink everything. It’s probably part of why I’m such a terrible sleeper — I’m always tossing and turning at night overanalyzing every decision and outcome. However, this thought process doesn’t necessarily extend to the one area that probably needs it the most: shopping.
It feels rather ironic that despite always stressing about finances and budget as a freelance writer, I don’t necessarily apply all this overthinking to purchases. So, when I read about the 30/30 rule, I realized it was made for people like me.
What Is the 30/30 Rule?
The concept of the 30/30 rule is as follows: When you consider buying something that costs around $30, you give yourself 30 hours to think about it and see if you really need it. The higher end of this rule is that if something costs more than $100, then wait 30 days and give the same consideration.
This allows you to be more thoughtful about your purchases and decide if something is worth buying and will bring value to your life. If you end up purchasing it, you know it’s something you actually need and will be useful. But if you don’t, you know that’ll be just fine, too.
How I Tried the 30/30 Rule
As a food writer, I own, open, and drink a fair amount of wine. The walls in my tiny studio apartment are lined with wine bottles. With all the wine I consume, you’d think I’d be a master of using the traditional corkscrew — but more often than not, I have a bit of a struggle.
Lately, I’ve been considering treating myself to a new Cuisinart Electric Wine Opener that’s under $30. As someone who can legitimately say I drink wine as my job, it seemed as if it’d be useful to have effortless cork removal and the convenience factor could not be beat. But I decided to employ the 30/30 rule and give myself 30 hours to think about it — and yes, in those hours I did open wine the old-fashioned way a time or two. I realized that was good enough!
Cuisinart Electric Wine Opener
Amazon
$28.99
What I Learned
Maybe opening wine using a traditional corkscrew is not as fast and seamless as going the electric method, but it got the job done in under a minute — and what more could I really ask for? I think going the electric route is smart for a lot of people, such as those with less hand strength or mobility or joint issues, but there are also some drawbacks I realized when I thought hard on it.
As a wine person I can’t deny there’s something just more special about the traditional wine-opening experience, and going automatic loses that aesthetic value and visual moment. Electric options are not without their cons, too, as the gadget itself can be rather big and clunky and that battery will have to be recharged. If I don’t realize it needs that charge in time, there’s going to be wine that can’t be opened when I want to open it. And that would be a tragedy, wouldn’t it? There’s no denying that going electric makes things faster and easier, but after that day or so of careful thought, I had to accept that it doesn’t exactly equate to a better experience.
Popping the cork out of a bottle of wine may sometimes feel a little arduous and a little inconvenient, but it’s part of the process — and at the end of the day, if you love wine, don’t you love that process as well? The act of uncorking is absolutely part of the mood, feel, and romance of it all, and I’m here for it. Thanks to the 30/30 rule, I just saved room in my drawer and $30 I didn’t need to spend in the process, which, interestingly enough, is money to buy myself a bottle of Chianti … something I absolutely do need.
Further Reading
I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It’s a Game-Changer!)
Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About Article’s DTC Furniture
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
