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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last look at my financial records devoid of feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.