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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any time 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

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this system, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of feeling guilt or embarrassment.

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 warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as radical as it is simple.