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

A few days later, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered products sitting in my basket, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this system, I ceased acquiring goods that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can finally review my bank statements devoid of experiencing shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is straightforward.