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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 student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I had a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the primary motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our need for immediate gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.