We all have those guilty pleasures in life. Some people like to eat frozen yogurt or binge watch "The Bachelor" but some love to shop. And by love, I mean really love. There is nothing wrong with a little retail therapy, right? Well, it is wrong when buying a new pair of shoes tops buying groceries. People say all you have to do is walk into a store and ask yourself, "So I really need this?"... Well, of course, I do or else I wouldn't be in the store, duh. Despite how bad you really, really want that new top that just came out, sometimes you just have to be patient and responsible. Welcome to adulthood. I know, it sucks. There are very easy ways to be a healthy shopaholic.
1. Hold up, wait a minute...
If you see something in a store and it is way out of your budget, put it on hold and come back after sleeping on the idea if the item will actually benefit your life or not. If this item is a $500 blender, you will probably survive without it. But if it is a super cute pair of shoes on sale and they only have one left in your size, then it is a sign from the shopping gods that you have to buy them. Or else you will go three days without sleep thinking about how you should've bought them.
2. Use cash.
Don't get me wrong — nobody loves the sound of a credit card swipe more than me but they are actually life-ruiners if you don't know how to use them correctly. You swipe, swipe, swipe and before you know it, you're swimming aka drowning in credit card statements in your apartment, cursing the shopping gods. Trust me, the shopping gods want you to use cash. If you don't have the cash, well, then I guess the decision of whether or not you need that item is simple... You don't.
3. Go shopping alone.
We all have the one friend who we ask, "Should I buy this?" And that one friend will always fake smile and shake their head yes... no matter if you're holding up a new much needed handbag or a spatula. To make sure you aren't buying frivolous items, leave that friend who always says, "Yes" at home. Nobody likes to shop alone but at least you'll be in and out of the store in record timing without anyone holding you back.
4. Make a list.
Target is evil. I go into Target with my list, focused; I have my game face on and then I somehow end up walking out with the entire store in my cart with the smell of defeat radiating off my entire body. Don't be me. Make a list. Take a Post-it and write down what you need to buy. If you just so happen to spot an item that isn't on your list but you desperately need it, well put it down because if you desperately needed it, then it would've been on your list in the first place. Don't change the list; the list is your everything. Clinch onto it while holding onto the cart because it is your bank account's lifeline.
5. Hit 'em with that unsubscribe button.
Your phone buzzes while you're in class. You look down and it is an email from Best Buy about a huge sale they are having. What do you want to do? You want to get into your car and go straight to Best Buy and max out your credit card. What should you do? Check your bank account and realize that you're poor so you shouldn't max out your credit card and then you should unsubscribe from all emails. Stores know how to tug at your heartstrings. They will send you emails of their new arrivals and you're just sitting there thinking, "Wow, that would look really good on me." They know how to play you. Don't fall for it! Just simply unsubscribe from all retail emails and then you won't be forced to give into temptation.
We all have the means and the will power to be healthy shopaholics. It may take a couple of experiment trials but before you know it, you'll be breezing through a store with your list feeling relieved and in control of your bank account!
