Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys
Luis Roberto Rampolla Martinez Finance iPhoneiPadiPod touch
Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys is a free Finance app for iPhone and iPad by Luis Roberto Rampolla Martinez. Requires iOS 15.1. Updated February 7, 2026.
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 38 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Feb 7
- 2026 · v1.0
Screenshots
About Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys
**THE PROBLEM** That $200 purchase isn't just $200. It's 8 hours of your life you'll never get back. It's $1,400 you won't have at retirement. Every impulse buy has two hidden costs: the time you worked to earn it, and the future wealth you'll never see. Ernie shows you both. **WHAT ERNIE DOES** Before you buy anything, Ernie reveals the true cost: 1. **Time Cost**: How many hours you'd have to work 2. **Opportunity Cost**: What that money could become if invested until retirement That $50 coffee maker? 2 hours of work today, or $350 in your retirement account. Suddenly, "I can afford it" becomes "Is it worth it?" **HOW IT WORKS** 1. Tell us your hourly rate, birthday, and when you want to retire 2. Enter the price of something you're tempted to buy 3. See both costs: hours of work AND lost retirement growth 4. Decide: buy it, skip it, or save it for later Ernie does the math. You make better choices. **THE DUAL COST CALCULATION** Most apps show you one number. Ernie shows you two: **Time Cost** = Price / Your Hourly Rate "This costs 8 hours of your life" **Opportunity Cost** = Price invested at 7% until retirement "This could be $1,400 when you retire" When you see both numbers together, impulse purchases lose their power. **KEY FEATURES** - Dual Cost Display: See time cost AND retirement opportunity cost - Personalized Projections: Based on YOUR age and retirement timeline - Investment Growth Charts: Watch how your savings compound over time - Maybe Later List: Save items to reconsider when the impulse fades - Smart Reminders: Get notified to reconsider saved items - Savings Dashboard: Track items skipped, hours saved, and future wealth gained **WHY IT WORKS** $200 feels affordable. 8 hours of work makes you pause. $1,400 in lost retirement savings makes you walk away. That's the power of seeing both costs. **YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU** Every impulse you skip becomes: - Hours you didn't spend working for stuff you don't need - Money that compounds for decades - Real progress toward retirement, a home, or financial freedom Skip 3 impulse buys a month. In 30 years, that's over $100,000 in retirement wealth. **PRIVACY FIRST** Your income, age, and financial goals stay on your device. No accounts. No data selling. No ads. Just you and your future. **QUICK SETUP** Enter your birthday, retirement goal, and income (hourly, salary, or paycheck - we'll calculate the rest). Setup takes 2 minutes. The impact lasts a lifetime. --- Download Ernie. See what you're really giving up.
App privacy
The developer, Luis Roberto Rampolla Martinez, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Linked to You
The following data, which may be collected and linked to your identity, may be used for the following purposes:
- Identifiers: User ID, Device ID
- Usage Data: Product Interaction
- Diagnostics: Crash Data
Used for: Analytics, App Functionality
Data Not Linked to You
The following data, which may be collected but is not linked to your identity, may be used for the following purposes:
- Identifiers: User ID
Used for: App Functionality
Alternatives to Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys
Looking for apps like Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys? Here are 6 similar apps on the App Store. The highest rated is SpendPause App (5.0/5), and all 6 are free to download.
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Impulse – Check Your Tradeoffs
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Impulses: Stop Impulse Buying
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SpendPause App
5.0
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Wait7: Stop Impulse Buying
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Griotta: Stop Impulse Spending
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BuyBlock
| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ernie: Stop Impulse Buys | – | Free | February 7, 2026 | |
| Impulse – Check Your Tradeoffs | – | Free | Jan 27, 2026 | Compare |
| Impulses: Stop Impulse Buying | – | Free | Oct 13, 2026 | Compare |
| SpendPause App | 5.0 / 5 (1) | Free | Apr 7, 2026 | Compare |
| Wait7: Stop Impulse Buying | – | Free | Feb 13, 2026 | Compare |
| Griotta: Stop Impulse Spending | – | Free | Aug 31, 2026 | Compare |
| BuyBlock | – | Free | Oct 20, 2026 | Compare |