🔗 Share this article

One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased 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 weren’t even my size. 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 stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was always: “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 my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try something new. Before buying any item, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me time to reflect – something I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this system, I ceased buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.