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One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my mobile device: 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 shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one 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 reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it always ended 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 completely certain about the reason. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious 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.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was no.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I possessed a smartphone, similar to most people, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records devoid of experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture preys on this boredom and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as radical as it is simple.