🔗 Share this article

One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a totally useless weighted 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 couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before acquiring anything, I’d put it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also means I am more selective about the items I do buy, and I can at last review my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is straightforward.