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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally useless weighted blanket that I never used.

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

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive 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 sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.