🔗 Share this article

One day at work a couple of years back, an notification hit on my mobile device: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely useless weighted blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned another couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt stressed, exhausted or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it gave me time to reflect – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and found products sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing a trio of games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I understood I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I possessed a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus did not need to buy a separate device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more discerning about the things I do purchase, and I can finally look at my financial records without feeling shame or embarrassment.

Naturally, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the warning signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong trigger. It’s perhaps the biggest driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.