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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 fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, 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 had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added 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 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 completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally review my financial records without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it's human nature. The key change 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 trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.