🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, 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 usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a totally unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips 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 anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered items lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I ceased acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can finally review my financial records without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely freeing. Gaining command over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is straightforward.