In the twisted world metaverse, where scanning QR codes is practically a reflex and UPI apps are treated with more devotion, Gen Z is addicted to a tap-and-go universe. Anam Mirza has done the unthinkable- she deleted them all.
Yes, you read that right. While most of us panic if GPay buffers for 3 seconds, Anam Mirza, fashion maven, influencer, the entrepreneur and sister of tennis legend Sania Mirza, quit UPI cold turkey. Why? To stop spending on things she didn’t need. Like coffee. And maybe a sixth plant she swore would change her life.
Her Fintech Blockbuster
In Episode 4 of her Insta hit “Little Changes, Big Impact”, Anam dropped the digital bomb: “No Scan = less spending”
She didn’t just delete the apps- she wiped out her UPI balance too. Why? Because every QR scan had been turning into an automatic impulse buy.
Instant Convenience, Instant Spending
She explained that the immediate availability of digital payment options bypassed her financial filters. With each scan, small purchases like coffee, snacks, and random purchases added up. Her solution was instant convenience with intentional friction, forcing her to pause, rethink, and decide before parting with cash.
The Impact
- Impulse Control: No quick QR scans- fewer spontaneous purchases.
- Financial Clarity: Anam says she’s now more aware of how and where her money goes.
- Social Influence: As a public figure, her “anti-UPI” stance challenges the status quo of instantaneous spending.
So, What’s the Big Deal?
It’s not just about one influencer’s wallet. It’s about what UPI does to our brains:
- Instant Gratification
- No time to process
- Goodbye budgeting, hello blind spending.
But cutting the cord, Anam’s message is loud and clear: Convenience is great, until it becomes a trap.
Why It Matters?
In a country where UPI reigns supreme, Anam’s bold move sparks a powerful conversation: Is frictionless finance making us forget financial mindfulness? Her experiment shows how adding friction, by choice, can help reclaim spending control.
Budgeting Monk Hacks
If you want to feel like a budgeting monk:
- Delete UPI apps (or at least hide them behind three folders called “Do Not Enter”).
- Carry some cash, like it’s 2007
- Force yourself to think before you scan.
Anam didn’t ditch UPI because she’s anti-tech, or she’s anti-tap regret person. Ironically, in doing so, she might have made the smartest digital decision of the year.
