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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added 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 since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income 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 novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never done before. 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 opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

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

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.