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One day at work 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 did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

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 weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income 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 subconscious desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Before acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. 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 response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining command over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.