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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, 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 an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.