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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never completely sure about the reason. 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 house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me time to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can finally look at my financial records devoid of feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our need for immediate gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.