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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up 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 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, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. 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 unplanned shopping spree. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a hidden desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me time to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this system, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once considered buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore had no requirement to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can at last review my financial records without feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the warning signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.