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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. 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 a new pattern. In reality, 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 unplanned shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products lingering 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 wanted to buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore did not need to acquire 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 without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.