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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

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

I was never completely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this method, I ceased buying things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I recalled I possessed a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore did not need to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can finally look at my financial records without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as radical as it is simple.