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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. 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 anxious, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor 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 hidden desire for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.