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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. 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 doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. 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 bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records devoid of feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.