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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally unused 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 pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.