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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I ceased buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I recalled I possessed a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.