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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary 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 device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. 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 uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I ceased buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore did not need to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.