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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

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 pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I decided to try something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore did not need to buy a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can finally review my bank statements without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as radical as it is straightforward.