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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records devoid of feeling shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.