One day at work two years ago, an notification hit on my phone: my paycheck had come through. It was a decent sum for a someone still at university, so I did my usual when payday arrived: I launched every single retail application on my device. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, the list was endless. In under 60 minutes, I had parted with £90 on apparel, decorative items and a totally useless weighted blanket that never touched.
A few days later, I went online again and purchased a hairdryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I included LED strip lights and two 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 anxious, exhausted or bored, I would doomscroll until it always culminated 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 completely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was due to my upbringing in a low-income 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 exciting things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just financially irresponsible and succumbed easily to the lure of consumerism.
The Game-Changing Strategy
In the end, I opted to experiment with something new. Before acquiring any item, I’d put it in my basket, delay for 24 hours, then decide whether to check out. The best part of this method was that it provided me space to think – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually require this? Is it within my budget?” Most of the time, the answer was negative.
If I opened Amazon, Depop or Zara and found items lingering in my basket, I’d remove them and start fresh. Using this system, I ceased acquiring things that I intuitively knew 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 buy a disposable film camera for my first holiday to the coast. After pausing I recalled I had a phone, like most people, that features a perfectly good lens, and therefore did not need to buy a dedicated camera.
The Lasting Impact
It also signifies I am more discerning about the things I do buy, and I can finally review my bank statements devoid of feeling shame or discomfort.
Of course, there have been times I’ve relapsed into old habits – it's human nature. The difference now is that I can identify the warning signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a transaction. I’ve come to understand ennui is a strong catalyst. It’s perhaps the biggest motivator of my reckless expenditure.
Modern culture exploits this boredom and our desire for instant satisfaction. That’s the reason, in hindsight, forcing myself to halt before buying has felt strangely liberating. To be able to have control over my urges and reaffirming that I don't have to spend my diligently earned money on unnecessary products feels as revolutionary as it is straightforward.
