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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to buying any item, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my financial records without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.