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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, 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 excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice 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 asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered items sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, like most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.