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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. 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 contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.