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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my financial records without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui 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 gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.