🔗 Share this article

One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely sure why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to brighten up the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in readily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide on 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 occasion since adulthood, I began asking myself: “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 discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using 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 a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I possessed a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records without experiencing shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times 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 rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely freeing. Gaining command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.