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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 student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended 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 about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it provided me time to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I recalled I possessed a smartphone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can finally review my financial records without feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.