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One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my phone: my paycheck had been deposited. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my what I always did when payday arrived: I opened every retail application on my device. From Amazon to Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on apparel, home decor and a completely useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but thought an extra one couldn't hurt. Then I added LED strip lights and two pairs of shoes that weren’t even my size. This wasn't a new pattern. In reality, I’d been infamous for it since I started earning.

Whenever I felt stressed, tired or uninterested, I would mindlessly scroll until it inevitably ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “It's only £5.” But £5 turned into £10, then £20, and continued.

I was never entirely certain about the reason. Maybe it was due to I grew up in a poor family, where we’d go months without purchasing new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any time I had some disposable income, there was always a subconscious desire for new and exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and gave in easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

The Game-Changing Strategy

In the end, I decided to experiment with something new. Prior to buying anything, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then make a choice on whether to check out. The best part of this technique was that it provided me space to reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since adulthood, I started asking myself: “Do I truly require this? Can I afford it?” Most of the time, the response was no.

If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found products lingering in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased buying goods that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once considered purchasing three board games, but after a waiting period before going to the store, I understood I never actually engage with board games.

I also wanted to buy a single-use camera for my first holiday to Croatia. After pausing I remembered I had a smartphone, like everybody else, that features a perfectly adequate camera, and therefore did not need to acquire a separate device.

The Enduring Benefits

It also means I am more discerning about the items I do purchase, and I can at last look at my bank statements without experiencing guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been times I’ve slipped back into old patterns – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m rushing into a transaction. I’ve realised ennui is a powerful catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our desire for immediate gratification. That’s why, looking back, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have command over my urges and remind myself that I don't have to spend my hard-earned money on unnecessary goods feels as radical as it is simple.