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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I decided to try something new. Prior to 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 method was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, 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 recalled I possessed a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore did not need to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally review my financial records without feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is straightforward.