How to Stop Buying From Temu and Shein
To stop buying from Temu and Shein, delete the apps, remove saved payment methods, unsubscribe from their emails and texts, and stop playing the in-app games and spin-the-wheel offers that keep you opening them. Then track what you actually spend there for a month. Cheap prices make each order feel harmless, but the low price is what makes it easy to buy often, and the total is usually bigger than people expect.
Why cheap stuff is so hard to stop buying
Low prices switch off your brakes. When something costs $3, it doesn't feel like a decision, so you don't apply the usual "do I need this?" check. That's why carts on these apps often end up with dozens of items.
Minimum spends and bundles. Free shipping thresholds and "add one more to unlock a discount" offers push you to fill your cart with things you didn't come for.
It feels like a game. Temu in particular uses spin-the-wheel prizes, countdown coupons, credits that expire, and mini-games that reward you for opening the app every day. Shein uses points, daily check-ins and flash sales. These features keep you coming back even when you weren't planning to shop.
A firehose of new things. Both apps add huge numbers of new products, so there's always something you haven't seen. The feed never runs out.
Haul culture. Videos of people unboxing big hauls make buying lots of cheap things look normal and fun, and send you straight to the app.
For more on how these design choices work, see why shopping apps are designed to make you buy.
Steps that help
Delete the apps
This is the biggest single step. Both apps rely on frequent, casual opening. Without the app on your phone, you lose the daily games, the notifications and the late-night browsing. If you really need something, you can still buy it on a computer.
Remove saved payment methods
Remove saved cards and wallet options like PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay from your accounts. Having to enter card details slows you down long enough to reconsider.
Unsubscribe from emails and texts
Both companies send frequent marketing emails and, if you agreed, text messages. Use the unsubscribe link in the emails and reply STOP to marketing texts. Our guide to turning off shopping emails and notifications covers this step by step.
Stop chasing free stuff
The "free gift," "spin to win" and "invite friends for credit" offers are designed to get you to open the app and spend. A free item usually comes with a minimum purchase. Treat these offers as ads, not savings.
Add up last month's orders
Look at your order history or bank statement and total up the last 30 or 90 days. Many people are surprised. Writing the number down is often enough to change the habit.
Mute the haul videos
On TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, tap "Not interested" on haul and "Temu finds" videos and unfollow accounts that mainly post them. See how to stop buying from TikTok Shop for more ways to clean up your feed.
Buy fewer, better things
Instead of five cheap tops that last a few washes, save for one you'll wear for years. This is the idea behind underconsumption core: using what you have and buying less but better.
See your progress
Watching what you didn't spend can be more motivating than restriction. Cake, an iOS app in development, is built around that. You put something you really want on a cake sized by its price, $5 per slice, so a $50 jacket is 10 slices. Each skipped haul and good habit fills a slice, while the money adds up in a virtual jar the app tracks. When the cake is full, you decide whether you still want it.
Common questions
Why can't I stop ordering from Temu?
The app is designed for frequent, low-stakes buying. Very low prices make each purchase feel insignificant, and games, coupons that expire, and daily rewards keep you opening the app. Deleting the app and removing saved payments breaks the habit for many people.
Is Temu addictive?
Many people describe it that way. It uses game-like features such as spinning wheels, countdowns and rewards for daily visits, which are similar to techniques used in mobile games to keep people engaged.
How do I delete my Temu or Shein account?
Both apps have an option to delete your account in their account or privacy settings. Menus change, so if you can't find it, check each company's help center for the current steps. Deleting the app alone doesn't delete your account.
Is it bad to buy from Shein and Temu?
That's a personal decision, but if you're trying to spend less, the main problem is how often you buy, not the price of each item. Many small orders can cost more over a year than a few things you planned and saved for.