After ditching UPI for over two months, this Delhi woman reveals the money habits she never noticed before

Could giving up UPI make you spend less? A content creator from Delhi believes it can. After switching from digital payments to cash for most of her daily expenses for more than two months, she says the simple experiment completely changed the way she thinks about money.

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Sharing her experience on Instagram, Sadaf explained how relying on cash made her more mindful of every purchase and helped curb impulse spending.

Why she ditched UPI for cash

In the video, Sadaf said she was in the third month of using cash instead of UPI for most of her everyday expenses.

According to her, digital payments made it easy to overlook how much she was actually spending because transactions took only a few seconds.

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A post shared by Sadaf (@rockstarz.gf)

Whether it was buying a coffee, picking up snacks or making small purchases, the money seemed to disappear without feeling like a significant expense.

The surprising effect of paying with cash

Sadaf said the biggest change was becoming more aware of where her money was going.

Unlike tapping a phone to pay, handing over a Rs 500 note made every purchase feel more tangible. Seeing cash leave her wallet and noticing how much remained made her think twice before spending.

She said this simple shift helped reduce impulse purchases and made budgeting easier, as she no longer had to keep checking her banking apps to see how much she had left.

Why she hasn't completely abandoned UPI

Despite the benefits, Sadaf admitted that giving up UPI altogether was not practical. She pointed out that cash can become inconvenient when exact change is unavailable. For example, paying Rs 470 with a Rs 500 note is difficult if a shopkeeper does not have enough change.

To strike a balance, she now keeps around 80 per cent of her spending money in cash while leaving the remaining 20 per cent available through UPI for situations where digital payments are more convenient.

Social media users share similar experiences

Her video sparked a lively discussion online. Many users agreed that spending cash makes them more conscious of their purchases and helps them control unnecessary expenses.

Others said digital payments reduce what behavioural economists often call the "pain of paying", making it easier to underestimate how much has actually been spent.

However, some pointed out that depending entirely on cash is becoming increasingly difficult as many shops, services and businesses now prefer digital payments.

Cash or UPI: which is better?

Sadaf did not argue that people should stop using UPI altogether. Instead, she suggested that using more cash for everyday purchases helped her become a more mindful spender.

For her, the experiment was less about rejecting digital payments and more about building healthier spending habits, something she says has changed the way she manages her money.

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post shared on social media. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect those of ET.com. Readers are advised to exercise their own discretion.