🔗 Share this article

One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave 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 require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.