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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, 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 a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of feeling guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong trigger. It’s probably the biggest driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have command over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.