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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every single shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never completely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits 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 maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally review my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is straightforward.