I have REALLY been trying not to shop. Yes I have bought some things, but I really haven’t fully shopped since last Christmas. And yes it has been REALLY REALLY hard. When people tell me about their purchases or where the good sales are I tell them that I am “Off Shopping” for now. But man do I wish I was “On Shopping”. Normally I am ok with it, but I think I struggle the most at the beginning of a new fashion season. For example…now all the Fall clothes are coming out and I want them all. Yes that’s right all of them…all boots, and jeans, and sweaters, and dresses and anything else that is in the stores. Do I need any of these things?? NO! And so far I have been pretty good about continuing to be “off shopping”.
My closet is FULL! I have a huge walk in closet..one that I have all to myself (my husband has his own huge walk in closet), but every time I look for something to wear I feel like I have nothing. Don’t you just hate that? I laugh with my friends because we find that we don’t go anywhere anymore. The weekend used to roll around and we used to get dressed up to go to the bars, or out to dinner…now, I want to get dressed up but I have nowhere to go?? So why do I need new clothes? They would just sit in my closet with the tags on!
One method I have been using to keep myself “off shopping” is to only buy when needed. In other words buy clothes for an event not for your closet. I don’t buy anything for the sake of buying anymore. I used to browse and buy. Rarely could I leave a store with out buying SOMETHING…whether it be earrings or a shirt or some make up…Now, I don’t buy any jewelery unless I have an outfit to put it with, and I don’t buy clothes unless I have a place to wear them to. Now you may be saying…If you still buy things then you really aren’t “off shopping”. Well my answer to you is, I don’t consider going to buy a needed outfit shopping. Shopping to me is wandering stores, browsing and normally buying unnecessary things…so therefore in my world I am still “off shopping”.
Alot of it has to do with my husband and I actively saving our money. Pretty much my entire paycheck goes to bills and my many savings accounts. That doesn’t leave me with much extra cash. I just have to remind myself that life is better out of debt, and that “things” don’t matter.
It helps that I have been trying to stay out of stores all together. But I gotta admit that when I walk past a store window and see beautiful boots, or a nice sweater I just want to Buy Buy Buy! What do they call it? Retail therapy? Well for now I will find my therapy in other ways. Sorry economy this girl is Off Shopping!
See, I have a problem passing up sales. I feel like it would be wasteful NOT to shop in the face of serious markdowns. Outlet malls are my nirvana. End-of-season-sales are high up on my list, too. I went to the Promenade yesterday just to ‘get out of the house’ because it was a sunny day, and I came back with two pairs of capris and three tops-but only spent $35 so I felt triumphant. But really, you are right, I don’t NEED any of that stuff. But who can pass up a pair of really nice capris-in my size-for $7.99? It is too hard! I should probably just stay out of the stores, too. I mean, I could have walked around a park, right?
Jessica..I have a problem with other stuff too. I used to go to Marshalls homegoods thinking i’m getting huge deals on decorations…until I got home one day and found I have absolutly no more room to put any more decorations!
Tracy: I totally get what you mean about sales. Kohls is my downfall on that…I mean how can I pass up a surprise markdown of like 80%! lol and end of season sales are the biggest culprit. i buy it down…but I don’t get to wear it cause it gets cold and then next season comes and I forgot a bought it and want new things! But congrats! $35 does sound like an accomplishment!
I’ve found it’s best to just not put myself in the situation. Hubby likes to run errands on Saturday and I end up at Pier 1, Home Depot and Target. It’s not just buying clothes for me, it’s buying anything! I have to take myself out of the store and just not think about what I COULD have bought, because I don’t NEED anything!
So hard to do though.