For impulse shoppers, a splurge-stopping app

Honestly, who doesn't splurge sometimes?

A friend of mine has dubbed these impromptu expenses "$100 pick-me-ups." You know, you work hard to juggle duties and deadlines, and then you figure, "Hey, I deserve this really great fill-in-the-blank."

The treat could be a pricey bottle of red wine, or some running gear, or a cool hammock. It doesn't matter. It all costs money.

But what if somebody could stop you, or at least ping you, and say, "Hey, do you really want to buy that now?" Well, online bank Ally Financial is putting that idea to the test with the beta release of a new app called Splurge Alert.

It works like this: You identify trouble spots such as the stores and restaurants where you know you burn cash or pull out the plastic a little too often. The app uses geo-location technology to alert you that you're approaching a "splurge zone."

Even more important, a friend or family member gets a push notification when you walk into that splurge-risk DSW or Starbucks or Lowe's. Yes, you pick a "buddy," someone who might be able to talk you out of spending more money.

"It helps you because it makes you stop and think," said Andrea Riley, chief marketing officer for Detroit-based Ally Financial. Consumers can sign up to test the app, which could be ready for prime time by June. (Information: https://www.ally.com/learn/splurgealert/)

Riley said the app isn't meant to chastise people or shame them into putting their wallets away. But it's a nudge to make you think again about whether a purchase is worthwhile.

About 85 percent of Americans admit to splurging, according to an early April survey of 2,143 adults ages 18 and older commissioned by Ally and conducted online by Harris Poll.

And splurging can be problematic. What if another pair of shoes is standing in the way of your building up savings for a down payment on a car or house? Ally says shopping can turn into the enemy of saving.

"It's time to turn around and walk away from spending that money," Riley said.

Trina Hardville, 37, of suburban Detroit, said the Splurge Alert app sounds like the opposite of shopping apps such as RetailMeNot, which encourage you to take advantage of deals.

Another app, Shopkick, actually rewards you with points for future discounts for walking into stores. The app brags that it can make sure that you "never miss deals and exclusive rewards at your favorite stores."

Hardville saw the advantage of a Splurge Alert app, though.

"I'm an impulse shopper," she said, noting that it's not unusual for her to spend $75 at Target even if she's only stopping in to buy toothpaste.

Traci Romo, 45, her co-worker at AAA Detroit, said she loves apps and might use one to control her spending for trips to DSW or Carter's children's clothing stores.

"You're almost putting a tether on yourself," Romo said.

Still, she quickly admitted she'd probably deactivate any app if she really planned to splurge big.

Ally is enlisting the help of some big names - including HGTV's Property Brothers cohost Drew Scott and country music duo Big & Rich - to help test Splurge Alert and disclose how they spend their money.

Scott said he realizes that big and small purchases can throw people off track from their goals.

"It can be little everyday things that get in the way. Like for me, I have a weakness for smoothies and sushi, which can really add up," Scott said in an email.

"My brother and I see homeowners splurge all the time when renovating a home," he said. "A little is OK, but it is always best to have a plan."

Could an app help you stop and reconsider that spending? Maybe. But you'd have to be willing to download it first, and you'd have to pick the right buddy.

Shaun Sturdavant, 21, said he'd pick a friend who shops at the same places he does for men's clothing, such as Express and American Eagle.

"He's got my back, and I've got his," Sturdavant said.

What you don't want is the control freak in the family to force you to download the app so they could track how often you're popping in for coffee or shoes.

No one wants a Splurge Alert to turn into a NagYouNow app.