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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. 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 stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the home. So any time 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 gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me time to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records without experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is straightforward.