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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 proceeded with my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. 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 unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually 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 lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I stopped acquiring goods 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 realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.