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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally unused heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a phone, similar to everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to buy a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do buy, and I can finally review my financial records without feeling guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have 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.