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One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping binge. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to experiment with something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this method was that it provided me time to think – something I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I ceased buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good camera, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the things I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records devoid of experiencing shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.