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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 fair amount for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, 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 spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire 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 opted to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it gave me time to think – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I had a phone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus did not need to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. Gaining command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.