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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. 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 stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a smartphone, like most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.