🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally unused weighted blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights and two 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 bored, I would doomscroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go 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 new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed readily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me time to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found items lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I realised I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and therefore did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

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

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is simple.