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One afternoon at my job two years ago, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every shopping app on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

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

I was never completely sure why I did this. Maybe it was due to my upbringing in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and thrilling things. Or maybe, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and succumbed readily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me time to think – something I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I opened my shopping apps and found products sitting in my basket, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased buying things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to buy three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I realised I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buying a disposable film camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and therefore did not need to buy a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements devoid of experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve come to understand ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture exploits this boredom and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.