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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try something new. Before acquiring any item, 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 time to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to buy a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my financial records devoid of experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.