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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: 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, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two 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 stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was because my upbringing 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 subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.