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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious 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 ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised 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 had a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. 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 revolutionary as it is straightforward.