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One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit 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 single retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, exhausted or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just financially irresponsible and gave in easily to the lure of consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it provided me time to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the response was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this system, I stopped buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the shop, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a phone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on non-essential goods feels as radical as it is straightforward.