🔗 Share this article

One afternoon at my job a couple of years back, an notification hit on my phone: my salary had come through. It was a fair amount for a student, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single retail application on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had spent £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely unused weighted blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included light strips and two shoes that didn't even fit me. This wasn’t new behaviour. In fact, I’d been notorious for it since I started earning.

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

I was never entirely certain why I did this. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a low-income family, where we’d experience months without purchasing new outfits or anything to brighten up the home. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden yearning for novel and thrilling things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to capitalism’s demands.

A Revolutionary Approach

Eventually, I decided to try something new. Prior to acquiring any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, wait 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it provided me time to think – something I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products lingering in my cart, I’d remove them and begin anew. By employing this method, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew I would never use. I once wanted to buy a trio of games, but after a waiting period before visiting the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After waiting I remembered I possessed a smartphone, like most people, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and thus did not need to acquire a dedicated camera.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can finally review my bank statements devoid of feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into previous patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, particularly when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my impulsive spending.

Consumer culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt unexpectedly liberating. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on unnecessary goods feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.