🔗 Share this article

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 student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes 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 succumbed readily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to try something new. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me time to think – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and discovered items lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before visiting the shop, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. Gaining control over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.