From a Spendthrift to a Smarter Spender: An Easy Strategy That Changed Everything

One day at work a couple of years back, an alert popped up on my mobile device: my salary had been deposited. It was a fair amount for a someone still at university, so I proceeded with my usual payday ritual: I launched every retail application on my phone. Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, Zara, you name it. In under 60 minutes, I had spent £90 on clothes, decorative items and a totally useless heavy blanket that never touched.

A short while after, I returned to the internet and bought a blow dryer. I already owned one, but reasoned an extra one wouldn't be a problem. Then I added LED strip lights 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, exhausted or bored, I would mindlessly scroll until it always ended in an unplanned shopping spree. My justification was constantly: “Oh well, it’s just £5.” But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on.

I was never entirely sure about the reason. Perhaps it was because I grew up in a poor family, where we’d experience months without buying new clothes or anything to decorate the house. So any moment I had some disposable income, there was always a hidden desire for new and thrilling things. Or maybe, and almost certainly, I was just bad with money and succumbed easily to capitalism’s consumerism.

A Revolutionary Approach

In the end, I opted to try something new. Prior to buying any item, I’d place 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 reflect – an action I’d never done before. For the first occasion since I turned 18, I started asking myself: “Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?” More often than not, the answer was no.

If I accessed my shopping apps and discovered items sitting in my cart, I’d clear them out and start fresh. Using this method, I stopped acquiring things that I knew deep down I would never utilize. I once wanted to purchasing three board games, but after waiting before going to the shop, I realised I never actually engage with tabletop games.

I also wanted to buying a single-use camera for my first trip to the coast. After waiting I remembered I had a smartphone, similar to everybody else, that features a perfectly good lens, and therefore had no requirement to acquire a dedicated device.

The Lasting Impact

It also signifies I am more selective about the items I do purchase, and I can finally look at my bank statements devoid of feeling guilt or discomfort.

Of course, there have been occasions I’ve slipped back into old habits – it’s only natural. The key change is that I can identify the signs early, especially when I’m hastening into a purchase. I’ve realised boredom is a powerful trigger. It’s probably the primary driver of my reckless expenditure.

Modern culture exploits this idleness and our need for instant satisfaction. That’s why, looking back, compelling myself to halt before buying has felt strangely freeing. Gaining control over my urges and remind myself that I don’t need to expend my diligently earned money on non-essential goods feels as radical as it is simple.