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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Maybe 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 some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased buying things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my bank statements without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.