🔗 Share this article

One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual when payday arrived: I launched every shopping app on my phone. From Amazon to Zara, the list was endless. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on clothes, home decor and a completely useless weighted blanket that I never used.

A few days later, I went online again and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned another wouldn't be a problem. Then I added light strips and two shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been notorious for it ever since I could afford to buy my own things.

Whenever I felt anxious, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it always culminated in an impulsive shopping binge. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely sure why I did this. Perhaps it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the home. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for novel and exciting things. Or possibly, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to the lure of demands.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to try a novel idea. Before buying any item, I’d put it in my digital cart, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice whether to finalize the purchase. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never taken. For the first time since adulthood, I began questioning: “Do I truly require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the response was no.

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

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first trip to Croatia. After waiting I recalled I possessed a smartphone, like everybody else, that has a perfectly adequate lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

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

Naturally, there have been occasions I’ve relapsed into old patterns – it’s only natural. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs sooner, particularly when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the primary driver of my reckless spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our need for instant gratification. That’s why, in hindsight, compelling myself to pause before buying has felt unexpectedly freeing. Gaining control over my impulses and reaffirming that I don’t need to expend my hard-earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.