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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to try a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

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

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.