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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a smartphone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more discerning about the things I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.