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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I launched every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items 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 thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights 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 ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it provided me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to 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 thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.