🔗 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 student, so I did my what I always did payday ritual: I opened every single retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. Within the space of an hour, I had parted with £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a hairdryer. I already had one, but thought another couldn't hurt. Then I included light strips and two pairs of 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 anxious, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an impulsive shopping spree. My justification was always: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never completely sure about the reason. Maybe 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 home. So any time I had extra money, there was always a subconscious desire for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I opted to experiment with a novel idea. Prior to acquiring anything, I’d place it in my basket, wait 24 hours, then make a choice whether to check out. The greatest advantage of this method was that it gave me space to reflect – something I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I began questioning: “Do I actually require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was negative.

If I accessed Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and begin anew. Using this method, I stopped buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the store, I understood I never actually play tabletop games.

I also contemplated buying a single-use camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I remembered I possessed a phone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate lens, and thus had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Enduring Benefits

It additionally signifies 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 times I’ve relapsed into previous patterns – it's human nature. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve come to understand boredom is a strong trigger. It’s probably the biggest motivator of my impulsive spending.

Modern culture preys on this idleness and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to pause before buying has felt strangely freeing. Gaining command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential products feels as radical as it is straightforward.