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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me time to think – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring 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 shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I possessed a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore did not need to buy a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can finally review my financial records without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator 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 unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.