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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I ceased acquiring goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can finally review my bank statements without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.