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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 payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned 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 fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records without experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.