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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary 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 launched every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought 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 notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden 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

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Before acquiring anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, 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 method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.