Hello everyone, today I will be talking about one of my favourite subjects, SHOPPING.
I can't deny my love for shopping, on a bad day (or any day, actually) walking into a store makes me feel ten times better. And when I find some good deals or things I really like, I feel as though I've won the lottery, the angels start singing in my head, and sometimes I do a victory cheer or even a happy dance. I know this sounds so crazy, it's just that I really, really love shopping.
However, sometimes after I get home and the excitement has died down a little, I realise that I bought the item on impulse, I just buy it to experience that joy and to make myself feel better, even though it might not be something I actually need. I've made so many impulse buys in the past, and I absolutely regret having done so. Due to the fact that those aren't the clothes I need, or I probably already have something very similar to it, there comes the additional trouble of deciding what to do with it, often times these impulse buys just end up in the unwanted pile. What a waste of money !
Have you encountered a situation like this? If so, here are some tips on how to become a smart and savvy shopper, and how to avoid impulse buys.
Make a list.
In this first step you have to know what you have in your closet, be sure to go through EVERYTHING and make a list of the things you don't need any more of. For example, if you already have some great jeans that you love, put it down on a list to remind yourself that you probably do not need anymore of those items. After creating the list, keep it in your bag when you go shopping, and before purchasing something be sure to check the list, so you don't get something you don't need. If the item is written on the list, put it back on the rack, and walk out the store !
Set a budget, and stick to it !
If you have a problem with over-spending just like I do, be sure to set a budget before going shopping. I often end up regretting having spent too much money because I couldn't resist getting all those cute clothes I saw. However since I've started giving myself budgets for shopping trips, I find it easier to keep within the limit.
Go shopping with a friend who can help you resist your urges
I like to go shopping with my friends because they can help talk me out of buying something that I don't need, they also help me to stay focused and not get sucked into sales where I feel like I have to buy all the good deals because sales are my weakness, I just can't resist deals, and clearance sales, even better !
Avoid sales
Like I've just mentioned, sales are terrible for me. I get urge to peruse EVERYTHING until I find a good deal. And when I've found a good deal, I challenge myself to find another good deal, and so on.
If you are like me, it is better for us to avoid sales. If you see a sign with 50% off or even 70% off, turn around and walk in the other direction, trust me I know how excruciating that is, how does ANYONE walk away from a 70% OFF SALE ??
But I assure you, in the long run you will feel happy having made the right decision to walk away from the sales.
Do not focus too much on trends
My mother always tells me: "Trends will pass. Get clothes with designs that will last."
Classic pieces and essentials are things that will always look great, and most often these are the things that won't have to get rid of. It is absolutely fine to dabble in trends, but not too much. Trends fade and past. and all of a sudden, that item won't be "in" anymore, you'll start wearing it less, and eventually you'll forget about it. I know that it's hard to believe, but trust me, this is what I've learnt from when I was completely obsessed with following trends. Try not to become like me, because you'll end up with a huge pile of unwanted clothes.
This is the end of the post, I hope you found these tips helpful. I will be doing more posts like this is the future, so be sure to check them out if you liked this post. Thank you for reading and I will talk to you in my next post !
(photos from Google, and their respective sources)
