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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, 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 mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try a novel idea. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I ceased buying 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 realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore did not need to buy a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

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

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.