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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 decent sum for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every retail application 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 useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “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. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it provided me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found products lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Lasting Impact

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my financial records without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.