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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any time 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 capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my bank statements without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.