Why Shopping is Evil and has Ruined Me!

I went for many years convinced I didn’t like shopping and didn’t consider it a recreational sport. Oh, denial, you are strong! Please! For 14 years I have lived practically in walking distance of major malls and shopping centers and even as I write this I’m thinking about heading to somewhere to shop [for what you might ask? That’s the point of this post].

So last weekend started out innocently. I wanted a new pair of jeans. So I headed to Kohl’s. Big mistake. Didn’t I tell myself that Kohl’s never has pants that fit right? That I have never ever bought a pair of pants there because they never fit right? Hello! Listen to myself often? Uh, no! So I wasted time trying on two pairs of jeans in my size that were no where large enough to accommodate me. [And yes, I’ve gained weight, and no, I wasn’t trying on the size 6…it was a 10 thank you very much and it was two sizes to small and no I am not a 14 cos I have several size 10 items that fit…end of explanation]!

So I’m wondering this store infamous for it’s “70% off” racks. I found a $12 blouse in some silvery color and nabbed it along with a $7 plum hoodie. Both said size medium. The blouse fit easily, the hoodie was 3 inches from meeting across my chest. Looks like my mom’s getting herself a little plum colored Easter present.

What Kohl’s has always done right by me is in the shoe department. So that’s where big money got shed. I found this perfect pair of white sketchers.
Did I NEED them? No, but they will be well used as they are a practical style and color that will go with everything from Capri’s (which my philosophy is Capri’s require skinny shoes) to casual skirts. In fact, the day I wore them I got all sorts of compliments. However, they were $44! So….my no more than $30 trip to buy jeans turned out to be a $65 experience and no jeans!

It all adds up over time. And even though I had good intentions to focus my shopping I still failed! This is just one of the many ways we put ourselves into debt and fail to get out. And I've been doing this for YEARS! It's nickel and diming death. It's the $2 coffee at DD when you have a portable mug in the cupboard, it's the $4 magazine with all ads that you go through in less than an hour! It's drinking premium beers cos you're in your 30's but you really only have the budget to buy cheap!

There is no entitlement. My father always said: "Budget, the numbers never lie." If we are honest to ourselves, then we will see where the money goes and how if we just exercise some self restraint there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. But it takes mega honesty and restraint, it's really not any more different than a diet or exercise regime. Life isn't always about instant gratification. But it takes a change in mindset to make the change lasting.

So I offer no real plan, just some thoughts to chew on!