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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already owned 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 fact, I’d been notorious 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: “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 due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.