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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two 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 stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found items lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

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

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.