How to Christmas Shop in Today's Economy
Holiday Gift Giving Ideas and What to Avoid While on a Budget
Dec 11, 2008
There’s something different about shopping this holiday season. It’s like everyone’s dirty little secret. With these harsh economic times, everyone is supposed to be baking, budgeting and cutting back but the lines don’t seem any smaller, and the deals seem to be better and better!
What is it about not spending money that makes us want to do it more? Shopping when you have money is always when it seems there’s nothing to buy. The same peep-toe Givenchy™ boots that were drool-worthy sans cash suddenly aren’t so appealing now that the money’s there to buy them.
Maybe it’s a psychological thing – wanting what we can’t have – that makes shopping with a credit card and no credit so much more enjoyable. Going to shop for your boyfriend ends in one pair of mittens for him and three new pairs of shoes, a jean jacket and some unnecessary accessories for you.
Why does “not looking” always turn into “Oh my gosh, they’re just too cute”?
As one writer put it in an article titled, Welch: ’Tis the season to go shopping, from the Mt. Vernon Register, “Another difficult part about Christmas shopping is trying not to cave in to buy things I’d like for myself. I don’t go shopping that much during the year, so when I do, I discover a lot of new gadgets and trends.” We hear you sister!
Maybe it’s that dive right in thing. If everyone is already broke what’s one more pair of heels going to do? Poor with nice shoes is better than poor in last year’s pumps! Right?
It’s almost the idea of “Well, what’s one more drink?” It goes for shopping too!
At the time, one more pair of jeans seems acceptable, it’s when the credit card bill comes – much like the next morning hangover – that the reality of “just one more” sets in. The glossy haze has been lifted and suddenly that indulgence is smack dab in front of you — or smack dabbing you, in the case of a holiday hangover!
This holiday season while the market crashes and the cash registers chime, remember that your dirty little shopping secret and over-the-top spending may feel good momentarily but it’s the mid-January collections call that may bring on more fear than cheer.
And though everyone is guilty of finding too much pleasure spending their dollars instead of bending them, maybe you can share a cheaper little secret with someone special instead ;)
