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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, 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 impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I remembered I had a phone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my financial records without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining command over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.