I was spending £700 a month: How I beat my late-night shopping addiction

Late-night shopping sprees often lead to regret, but when those impulsive buys become a habit, the financial consequences can be severe. A global study reveals that 7% of adults struggle with shopping addiction, with younger women being particularly susceptible. Ella Hewitt, a 24-year-old from Liverpool, admits her addiction reached its peak in 2021 when she spent up to £700 a month on fast fashion she couldn't afford and rarely wore.

Ella's financial struggles stemmed from a lack of money growing up, and she'd often give in to her shopping urges after feeling bored or tired, especially on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

To combat her addiction, Ella implemented various strategies. She began using a 30-day wait time before purchasing items, creating an imaginary budget of £1,000 for daily imaginary purchases, and only buying something if she could afford to buy it three times. Her spending habits improved by around 60%, and she now works as an ethical fashion influencer.

The Ukat Group, which runs addiction treatment centers across the country, notes that 90% of shopping addicts are women and that there are several signs of a shopping problem, such as feeling guilty or ashamed after a purchase or having a home full of unnecessary items.

Dish Patel from London experienced a similar struggle during her student years, spending her overdraft limit on clothes, food, make-up, and skincare. She would often buy trending items after scrolling through shopping apps, but the satisfaction was short-lived. To regain control over her spending, Dish deleted shopping apps from her phone, removed ApplePay, and started leaving her bank cards at home.

She also vowed to contribute the same amount of money to her savings or investments whenever she wanted to make a purchase, which helped her avoid spending the money twice. Research from Vanquis showed that Gen Z and millennials are particularly prone to impulse purchases, with social media and its targeted advertising further fueling the trend.