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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 decent sum for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £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 an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the home. 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 gave in readily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this system, I ceased buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.