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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips 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 ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor 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 desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I recalled I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can finally look at my bank statements without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.