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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

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

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Before buying any item, 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 time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can finally review my financial records devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.