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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, 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 doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped acquiring goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with 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, like most people, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can at last 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 difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.