Confessions Of a Shopoholic
“When I shop, the world gets better – and the world is better – but then it's not, and I need to do it again.” – Rebecca Bloomwood
It’s about time that I came to terms with it- I’m a shopaholic.
I don’t even mean in the colloquial sense of the word. I mean, for real; if there were criteria to meet the “diagnosis” of being a shopaholic, I would probably meet it. Nay, I would exceed it. It’s kind of embarrassing and seriously maladaptive when I should be saving up for, like, adult things.
I just love to shop. I love the process of searching for the perfect new statement piece. I love the way it feels when I have a ~fresh~ item in my closet. I love adorning my new apparel for the first time, and hearing the crisp snip of the scissors as I cut off the tags. I don’t love the way I feel after the (bank) damage is done, but the initial rush is seriously addictive.
Unfortunately, my little shopping habit has manifested in my having zero room in my closet anymore. I mean, I don’t have one single hanger to spare. Being a shopaholic in addition to being a hoarder-of-old-clothing is not a good combo, and my mom and dad are appalled. I keep telling them that “it’s totally fine” because when I move out I’ll just find an apartment that has a huge closet for my, um, collection (like Hannah Montana’s revolving closet – who remembers that?!), but they kindly suggested that I should probably just adopt some better shopping habits instead.
So, there are a handful of tips and tricks that have helped me tame the lustful, erratic, insatiable Rebecca Bloomwood in me. I haven’t stopped shopping (duh), but these things have helped me shop in less, um, destructive ways. If my story sounds similar to yours, I encourage you to give ‘em a shot!
1. Sashay away. Walk away from something that you might think is an “impulse buy,” and if you’re still obsessing about it in a few days, then go get it. This little trick is my go-to for avoiding “buyer’s remorse.”
2. Think about your money in terms of work hours. Say you’re debating buying a $90 blouse. For many of us, that’s roughly equivalent to one work day. Ask yourself: is this blouse worth one day of me working? This usually helps me put things into perspective.
3. Shop consignment/vintage. If you want to shop, choose to shop consignment/vintage! It’s cheaper, more sustainable, and there’s something really exciting about finding a one-of-a-kind piece that you know you’re going to love to death. I find, when shopping vintage, there are only certain pieces that fit or suit me, so it narrows the options and forces me to be more mindful about the clothes I’m choosing. It’s like searching for lost treasure, I swear. Juxtapose that with going to a mall and experiencing sensory overload when there are one thousand items of clothing that are exactly my size at my disposal, and in 12 different colours no less. I find that it’s harder to say no in those situations.
4. Cash over credit/debit. If you wanna shop, leave the cards behind and bring a set limit of cash. This is also a psychological thing: when you pay in cash, you’re more likely to recognize/appreciate the actual sum of money you’re spending.
5. Finally, consign your old clothes. If you’re too busy (or lazy, in my case) to sell your clothes yourself (i.e., take pictures of your clothes, price each item, post them online, negotiate with buyers, etc…), consigning is a great option. All you have to do is drop off your old clothes to a consignment store, and they choose what to sell and donate the rest. And then, like magic, you get a portion of what they sell your clothes for! You can put this cash aside and save up for something you really want. This is like the shopping version of recycling, LOL.
All in all, I hope these tips work for you. We’re in this together, dear reader.
