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One day at work two years ago, 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 payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.