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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

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

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore did not need to buy a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my financial records without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.