🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a student, so I proceeded with my what I always did when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a blow dryer. I already had one, but reasoned an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was always: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income family, where we’d go months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the house. So any time 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 financially irresponsible and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to experiment with something new. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide on whether to finalize the purchase. The greatest advantage of this technique was that it gave me space to think – something I’d never taken. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started questioning: “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 discovered products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped buying goods 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 engage with board games.

I also contemplated buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I recalled I possessed a phone, similar to most people, that features a perfectly good camera, and thus did not need to acquire a separate camera.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the things I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without feeling shame or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can recognise the signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. To be able to have command over my impulses and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as revolutionary as it is simple.