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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two pairs of 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 anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it gave me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.