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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 fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found products lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records devoid of feeling guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.