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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. 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 notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing 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 some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d place 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 – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered items sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times 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 rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.