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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

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 hidden desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.