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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

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

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.