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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I opened every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found items sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this system, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to buy a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.