🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every single shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely unused heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already had one, but thought an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn’t new behaviour. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping binge. My excuse was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely certain why I did this. Maybe it was because my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without buying new outfits or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and exciting things. Or possibly, and definitely more likely, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

Eventually, I decided to try a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d place it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part 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 asking myself: “Do I truly need this? Is it within my budget?” More often than not, the answer was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and discovered products sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying things that I intuitively knew I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the shop, I realised I never actually play tabletop games.

I also wanted to buy a disposable film camera for my first trip to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly good lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous habits – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, particularly when I’m rushing into a purchase. I’ve realised ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s why, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before purchasing has felt strangely liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.