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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never completely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.