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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of 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, tired or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “It's only £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 experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found items sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I remembered I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs sooner, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.