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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every single shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably 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 completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

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

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.