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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included 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 since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Maybe it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. 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 adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore did not need to buy a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.