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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two 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 stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for novel and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try something new. Before acquiring anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.