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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an impulsive 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 entirely certain about the reason. Maybe it was because 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 some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to the lure of consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I had a phone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can finally review my financial records without feeling shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my impulsive expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.