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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased acquiring 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 understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.