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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. 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. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added 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 ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, 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.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try something new. Before buying any item, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can finally look at my bank statements without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the 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 driver of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.