🔗 Share this article

One day at work two years ago, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I opened every shopping app on my device. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a completely useless heavy blanket that I never used.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and purchased a blow dryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I included LED strip lights and two pairs of 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 stressed, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My excuse was always: “It's only £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 poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious yearning for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in readily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I decided to try a novel idea. Before buying anything, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first time since I turned 18, I started questioning: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d remove them and start fresh. By employing this method, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never use. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I had a smartphone, like most people, that has a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to buy a separate camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can at last review my financial records without experiencing guilt or embarrassment.

Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into previous habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can recognise the signs sooner, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s probably the primary motivator of my reckless spending.

Consumer culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, 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 radical as it is simple.