The bag I'm carrying today says 'When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping'. Absolutely true for me. If I feel happy, I shop, If I feel sad, I shop. If I feel neither of the two, I still shop.
I've rarely walked out of a mall empty-handed. It's almost an obligation I feel to the owners, that now that I've dropped by, I should pick something, anything. Price is never important. A thing worth 5 bucks gives me as much joy as something worth 5000. And I'm a sucker for good packaging. A lovely bottle with a great label makes me suddenly want to eat Olives and great typography makes me save butter stained bakery bags (Bombay Bakery) with care.
I am a shopaholic. How to tell if you are? Try this. Is your closet overflowing with never-worn clothing or shoes with the price tags still on? Do you buy new makeup weekly or compact discs by the in double digits or things you couldn't resist you've bought and used just once and they lie unused?
According to an article on msn by bankrate.com, famous shopaholics include Marie Antoinette, Mary Todd Lincoln, William Randolph Hearst, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Imelda Marcos and Princess Diana. Their addictions ranged from clothing (Jackie O, Diana) to art and antiques (Hearst) to shoes (the heralded Marcos collection) to gloves (Mrs. Lincoln owned 84 pairs of them). All of these women have confessed overspending for the 'feel-good' factor during depression and emotional crises.
They added that female compulsive shoppers buy clothes, shoes, jewelry, makeup and compact discs. And men buy clothing, shoes, electronics (TVs, stereos, computers, etc.), hardware and CDs.
Things I shop for the most – bags, shoes, and stationary. Bags I have a special weakness for. I collect them, from anywhere, a local store, a mall, street side, anywhere, as long as they look interesting and unique. Most of my friends bring me bags when they travel, and others get me paper, books, pens etc.
My brother tells me I spend too much money. I do. But I can't seem to stop. Till I made that vow to not take plastic bags that is. The last time I went to the mall and bought veggies, I insisted that they put it all in my cloth bag. Stepped out, went to another store, saw some nice knick-knacks for my home, picked them up, then realized I had no more cloth bags, and I put it all back, telling myself the impossible – I will buy them when I have a cloth bag! And I haven't – some of the things have lost their charm since.
The other day I walked into this store and saw a gorgeous Grey chiffon dress. Thought of buying a size smaller and saving it for when I lose the inches I want to, but stepped out making a vow that I'd buy a new closet when I do lose the inches, but will not hoard for the future.
There are less bags in my hands when I get home now. And though I miss my mad shopping trips, this feels good too. Especially since my bank balance is not showing close to broke as it usually does at the end of the month.
Maybe in a few years I'll enjoy saving money so much that I'll have a new tussle on my hands. How do I get myself to spend?
3 comments:
Amen to that and if you succeed lemme know:)
I got shoes that I've never worn at all and I've forgotten completely about them till its spring cleaning time!:(
What dya say to that....
A friend once told me that it's not making the money that you'll remember, but what you did with it...... And it works for me.
- Vikram Menon
(sent via mail)
The more I read your blog, the more I feel a total connect with whatever you are writing. Yes, definitely I know this urge when I look at a book, I feel I absolutely and must have it, as if it would not be available tomorrow. It is really a different story that I have atleast 100 books which I have not read, even when I open my book cupboqard, they are all so good that I am not able to decide which one to read first! And obviously, I am game for clothes, shoes and bag any day, and yeah stationary too, particularly diaries or notebooks. I love them.
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