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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 proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. 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 purchased 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 didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered items sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.