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One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every single 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 hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Before buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this method, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can finally look at my bank statements without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to spend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.