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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 fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that I never used.

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 a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have command over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.