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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining command over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.