🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I did my usual payday ritual: I opened every single shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor 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 had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain about the reason. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products lingering in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once considered buy a trio of games, but after waiting before visiting the store, I understood 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 had a phone, like most people, that has a perfectly good camera, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records devoid of experiencing shame or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before purchasing has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as revolutionary as it is simple.