Five Ways We Justify Needless Shopping

I’m a recovering frivolous shopper.

Since I’m trying to empty my home of needless items that I’ve acquired over the years I have swirling flashbacks of the hours I spent shopping for entertainment. Shopping for things I didn’t need, maybe didn’t really love, with money I didn’t have.

When I started my capsule wardrobe, I went on a hiatus from clothes shopping….it wasn’t always pretty.

There were points I had to verbally tell my feet to walk away from a few sales I thought were too good to be true. (If you were wondering who that tired-looking woman aggressively muttering about “the perfect plaid shirt to hide oatmeal stains at a price that just won’t quit”, it was me).

The hiatus gave me space to analyze my shopping habits and build new ones. It has also given me some self-awareness on all the ways I used to justify buying so much!  The same knit sweat in four colours….and another blanket scarf!! Can’t have too many scarves, they hide oatmeal stains!

FIVE WAYS WE JUSTIFY NEEDLESS SHOPPING

1. Rounding down 

You always round down. If you paid 78.99 for it, you will tell everyone it was only like $70! Though, once you pay over 79.00 then you have to commit to saying you paid $80. You will need to resort to reasons 2-5 to justify your needless shopping.

2. You paid less

If your friend paid even one dollar more for the same or similar item, make sure to point out your Victorious Savings. You don’t have to be exact, just noting that ‘so and so bought one and paid more‘ is sufficient justification. You can walk away haughty about your shopping ways you sly frugal siren!
 
3. It was on sale
It doesn’t matter if you needed it, you wanted it and you got it for a deal. I once bought a wheel of brie for half off. My best friend exclaimed ‘you are basically making money!’. She is both correct and has permanently solidified her standing as my BFF.