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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 when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I ceased buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.