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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every single retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, 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 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me time to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.