I love shopping and LOVE a deal even more, but over the last year I have really tried to force myself to think twice before I press that easy “add to cart” button or throw
something into those red plastic carts at the store. I am not going to sit here hiding behind my computer and tell you that I don’t still shop and don’t love Amazon (I’ll actually tell you why I like it better than going to a store later). There are things I need and Amazon has become my go to for most of these things (who can resist free two day shipping!). I have just gotten so much better at avoiding buying things because there is a deal or it catches my eye. If I did not go onto the website (or into the store) for the item, I have gotten so much better at making sure it doesn’t end up in my cart (digital or physical). Even though I have gotten better, I was sorely tested this week by Amazon’s Prime Day!
I went into prime day telling myself I was prepared! I had a list of things I needed or helped me on my path of Personal and Lifestyle Redesign. Did I NEED everything on my list, NO, but there were a couple items that are helping me to make my life cleaner, less toxic, and just healthier for me (post about changes I’ve made at home to lessen my toxin intake coming soon). But boy was I tempted by a couple things. I literally had an item in my cart that was not on my list, then I told myself that I wasn’t breaking my shopping rules simply because it was a special sale day.
Here are my tips and rules for shopping that have helped me buy only needed items.
My first tip is to have a list. I have found that if I am shopping online or in a store a list is especially important for me. If it isn’t on the list (or really something I need that I forgot to put on the list (i.e. toilet paper, water filter), then I don’t buy it. I keep my lists on my phone in the notes app that way it is easy to alter as needed and easy to cross off items I have already gotten. I try to make my lists at least a day before I shop. This allows me to think about if I really need the items on my list. Then when I get to the store, or go online to order, I only choose items from my list.
Rule One – Don’t buy items right away, add to list and buy next time. If you see something that catches your eye, or you think you need when shopping, add it to your shopping list and wait till the next time you are shopping at that store or website (at least 3 days in between) and then re-asses if you still want it. Usually after a day or two you realize that you really don’t need that eye shadow or dress or shoes or hair product, because you have plenty at home that you already use and love. Then go ahead and remove it from your list and remember that only items on your list end up in your cart! The goal is to never buy anything that is not on your list.
My second tip is to shop online. I know it might sound weird that I am saying to shop online because you have so many options online. But it is truly easier to avoid a lot of items if you know exactly what you are looking for and then search for that item, add to cart and move on to next item. I know we have all gone into a store for 2 things and walked out spending over $100 and have 2 bags full of stuff. We have all wondered around a store just putting things in our cart, things we really don’t need or even want. They are just things that catch our eye and are a purchase of a moment. We all know how hard it is to avoid that dollar bin at Target or that Clarence rack at your favorite clothing store and how those sweet treats at the register always seem to end up in your bags when you check out. I simply avoid this by avoiding temptation. Of course, all those online stores try to tempt you into buying something they recommend after you add items to your cart, but it is much easier to avoid them online than in person for me usually and overall you are seeing less products.
Rule Two – Don’t browse online when shopping. Do a simple search for what you need or limit the page down to the exact things you are looking for. For example, if you need underwear, instead of browsing through the entire intimates pages with cute bras, underwear, sleepwear, etc. you can usually narrow it down to just underwear and then narrow even more to the brand and style you like, then browse and add to your cart what you need. If you know you want to read a specific book, don’t just go to the kindle section of Amazon and browse, chances are more items will end up in your cart than you expect. Just type in the title and look for that book specifically. And remember Tip and Rule one, always only shop off your list!
Rule Three – If you need an item right away and can’t wait for it to be shipped to you, do in store pick-up. This is basically the same rational as above. The less time you spend wandering around a store or online website, the more likely you are to walk out with only the items you went into the store for. A couple days before I left for my recent trip, I realized I had forgotten to pick up some staple items I would need and were on my packing list. Instead of heading into Target and walking around, I simply went online and purchased the items and scheduled to pick-up in store. I then just walked in, went to the counter at the front of the store, picked up on items and walked out. No temptation all! I didn’t even have to walk by the dreaded dollar bin!!! This can also be a big time saver, because you will know before you go to the store if they have the items you need. For example, one of the Target stores near me was out of the face wipes I use while traveling, so I simply chose the second Target in my area and picked up from there instead. It would have been frustrating to go into my normal store and been able to get everything but the face wipes. I would have then had to go into another store and doubled the time spent on this errand and doubled my chances of being tempted by something I didn’t need.
My third tip is don’t store credit card information in your usual online stores. The more effort you must go through to check out of an online shopping site, the more time you have to really think about that purchase. It is so much easier to just click through and buy, than it is to walk across the living room, grab your purse/wallet and pull out your card, walk back, and then enter your information. You would be surprised how many times during that short walk I have decided that I really don’t need something. Yes, I have my credit card info on Amazon, but since I use this for most of my necessity shopping, I don’t mind having it there. But I try not to store it for any websites where I think I am more likely to be impulse shopping than necessity shopping. My biggest impulse shopping website is Old Navy. They have such amazing deals sometimes and who can pass up jeans for $15, yeah that was totally my old thinking. This lead me to have so many clothes from there that I actually donated clothes with tags when I did my purge, because they didn’t fit me anymore, or I just never liked them that much to begin with.
Rule 4 – Open, put away/try on, and return any items as soon as possible. Have you ever gone through clothes and meant to return something, then forget about it and then it is too late to return, and it ends up just sitting in your closet? Yeah, I have as well. It is so important to make sure that you immediately upon receiving a delivered package or picking something up from the store you ordered online, to try them on, or put them away where they belong. Not only will this keep things from piling up in your house, it will also help you decide if an item should be kept or returned. Once you have decided to return it, return it right away. I always try to avoid exchanges, because it is usually impulse/temptation shopping again. The only time I usually exchange is if I really like an item and know it will work for me, but it is just not the right size, then I will try that exact item on again in a different size and exchange. But in general, if you are simply picking something up to exchange, it is on impulse and not something you really need.
With all the above said, yes, I still shop and buy things I sometimes don’t need, we all give in to temptation sometimes, but the above tips and rules have helped to keep me on track and kept the majority of those extra items from ending up cluttering up my house when I truly don’t need them.
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