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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, 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. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide 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 time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them 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 waiting before going to the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records without experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.