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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. 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 went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Maybe it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I recalled I had a phone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements without feeling shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.