For many, the arrival of a paycheck signals a chance to save or pay bills. But for Tam Patachako, it used to trigger an immediate and costly ritual: opening every shopping app on her phone.
The Spiral of Impulse Spending
Two years ago, while still at university, a payday notification prompted a familiar frenzy. Within an hour, she had spent £90 across platforms like Amazon, Vinted, Etsy, Depop, and Zara. The haul included clothes, decorative items, and a weighted blanket she never used.
This was not an isolated incident. A few days later, she purchased a redundant hairdryer, LED strip lights, and two pairs of shoes that didn't even fit. This pattern of impulse buying had been her norm ever since she gained financial independence, often driven by feelings of stress, tiredness, or boredom.
"My justification was always: 'Oh well, it's just £5,'" Patachako recalls. "But £5 became £10, then £20, and so on." She speculates that growing up in a poor household, where new possessions were rare, created a subconscious yearning for new and exciting things. Alternatively, she admits, it was likely a case of financial irresponsibility and succumbing to consumer culture.
The Simple Trick That Changed Everything
Determined to break the cycle, Patachako decided to experiment with a new rule. Instead of clicking 'buy now', she would place desired items in her online basket and impose a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before completing the purchase.
This simple pause created crucial mental space. For the first time, she began consciously asking herself: "Do I actually need this? Can I afford it?" More often than not, the answer was no. She started routinely clearing out her saved baskets on Amazon, Depop, and Zara.
The method led to several revelations. She once nearly bought three board games, but after waiting, realised she never plays them. Before a holiday to Croatia, she considered a disposable film camera, only to remember her smartphone's capable camera during the cooling-off period.
Recognising Triggers and Gaining Control
This new discipline has made her a more discerning consumer. She can now review her bank statements without shame. While she occasionally slips back into old habits, she can now recognise the early warning signs, particularly when rushing a purchase.
She identifies boredom as a powerful trigger for her impulsive spending, a vulnerability she believes consumer culture actively exploits. "Consumer culture preys on this boredom and our need for instant gratification," she notes.
In hindsight, forcing herself to pause has felt "strangely liberating." Gaining control over her impulses and reminding herself she doesn't need to spend hard-earned money on unnecessary products has proven to be a radical yet beautifully simple solution.
