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One afternoon at my job 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 usual payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two 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 anxious, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it gave me time to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found items sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last review my financial records devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.