Shopping can be a lot of fun and a good break from the world, but, depending on what I need, I am hopeless. If I don't have a list I'll forget what I really need, or I'll buy more than what is on that list. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to spend crazy amounts. I just need help sometimes.
One of the reasons for this is I have a sweet tooth. When I make a grocery list I try to avoid putting down the words 'cookies' or 'chocolate' because I normally have to force myself to walk away from them regardless. With how much crappy food I already eat, I don't need too many sweet things.
But food is my more controllable area. Put me in a Target or Walmart and we are in trouble. Generally, I do have a specific item to get if I go. The problem is that I pick up a few more items that I didn't think of, or do not even need, sometimes. My kryptonite is generally: nail polish, soda, candy, gum, and shoes. Given that I am at one of these two stores, it's not too big of a deal.
Yet, when I look in the cart and realize that I forgot what I even went there for, I feel like an idiot. My brain loves the idea of little things I need. And I even have to write, "no more than X items!" I'm a mess.
The bright side of this is that I refuse to pay for a tee-shirt that is twenty dollars. Clothing is one of the things I tend to wear out, just like my shoes and toiletries. I still have shirts from five years ago and I'm proud of that. My shopping habits in other departments just need to improve.
Honestly, I know I am not alone in this, and that we all have our own kryptonite while shopping, even if it is looking at everything for no reason. But there is also psychology behind how stores organize things. Tile size at the grocery store, appealing music, colors, and so much more play into this insanity. Stores trick us into wanting more. But it is my own fault I love nail polish so much. It's addicting.
The thing is: I have a scatter brain sometimes, I like sweets and snacks a little too much, and I always need lists. That is just part of who I am. I can only embrace it at this point.