Planning out your purchases can be a real struggle but it can also help you organize your life and your finances. Sometimes there are little monsters in the realm of shopping, some of these are; impulse purchases and therapeutic shopping. I have dealt with my fair share of both of these as therapeutic shopping is typically my go to when having a day where I am feeling more affected by my depression and anxiety. Therapy shopping tends to end in impulse purchases that help you to feel better, but only for that little bit of time.
While I was struggling with my previous relationship which ultimately ended and had taken a huge toll on my mental health, I spent a lot. I’m seriously embarrassed by the amount that I spent. I felt so guilty about some of the purchases that I made almost right after I had gotten that "Approved" message on the sales machine, or the second that I got home but looking back at it there are only a few items i regret. However, having spent the money on them I feel I ought to make the most of them.
Some insights into my previous relationship is that I gave up who I was for the person I was with and after he and I broke up I never felt more myself than I do now. I’ve gotten a chance to explore my love of fashion and my expensive taste without someone else’s opinion clouding my judgment and I am strong enough to make my own decisions.
The good thing I can say about my break up and the therapeutic shopping that came with it is that I got a killer wardrobe out of it. But how to get away from therapeutic shopping and stick to what is really a key addition to our wardrobe without overwhelming the amount of things we own? Some books can actually be really helpful with helping you decide on these.
Some tips and tricks I have previously or currently been using:
Plan your purchases; I used to allow myself one personal item a month so I would think about whether or not I still wanted it when it came the time I had allotted to purchase.
If you are feeling pulled to an item leave the store and if you are still feeling like the item is still something you're interested in in a day or two think about whether you can afford it, or if it's something that will still be there in a while think of how you could save for it i.e.; allot a certain amount per month towards it. (Another thing to think about is if you go back and the item is no longer there it just wasn't meant to be.)
Try second hand; this means that if you are shopping you are getting something else back into the rotation instead of bringing something brand new into the rotation.
Make a list; write the things that you are currently looking for with a want, need, and love section. Remember this list and the items you dream of if you are being pushed towards impulse purchases, it really helps to sort out whether you want something in the moment or if you actually want it!
Make an inspiration board with your style images and things you are looking into, Pinterest is a great place to do this but I also tend to just copy and paste images into a word document and print it out!
Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great weekend!
Hannah
Pictured above are The New Fashion Rules by Victoria Magrath, The 18k Shimmer ring by Poppy Finch, Pearl Spiral Earrings by Poppy Finch and a Rifle Paper co. Notebook.
Please note this is all my own opinion and is not an advertisement.
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