How I Failed My Shopping Diet in Two Days

Thursday, April 3, 2014


Sale Sign
Every year, I traditionally go on a "Shopping Diet" in April (see here for more info on financial fasts from a money standpoint). That means an entire month of not shopping (for clothes). For some, this is NBD. For me, it's torturous. BUT! I do it for very specific reasons:

1) I have a tendency to shop A LOT during the months of February and March. It's cold and dreary and I cope with online shopping because clothes make me happy and I realize how shallow and super messed-up that is.
2) I think that I get so preoccupied with new stuff that I don't even wear anything I own. I literally have clothes with tags, unworn shoes, etc. in my closet. This is sad, because I do have some cool stuff but never get a chance to wear it. Also, it makes my husband verrrrrry grouchy.
3) I go on an annual girl's trip usually near the end of April or at the beginning of May where shopping (and eating so much eating) is the main focus. And I like knowing that I don't have to completely rein myself in when I'm on a two-day shopping bender, you know?

Therefore, April is usually my no-spend month. I always plan on rotating through my current clothes and usually get kind of excited to see how I can make them work instead of buying new ones.

It's bad you guys.

And would you believe it me that it's easier for me to diet food-wise than it is shopping wise? Food is no big deal to me. It's like "Oh, I shouldn't eat that VHS tape-sized Rice Krispie square? OK, I won't."

Shopping, on the other hand, is rough. I see temptation everywhere. I'm on my computer at least three hours a day and a lot of my work has me surfing fashion and makeup sites, which makes it too easy to buy. Then I get bored and I have to stop myself from thinking "I have a spare two minutes, I wonder if that store got some new jeans?"

Oh, 100 percent it's a shopping addiction. And let me tell you how I failed HARD already.

First, our girl's trip was pushed back to June this year, which meant my motivation was gonezo.

Then, I had to take my daughter for an eye appointment (turns out, she's basically blind, I had major mom guilt, but she picked out some adorable glasses and I can't wait to tell you. She's my daughter. She went straight for the leopard print). Now, you wouldn't think that an eye appointment would be temptation, but the eye doctor was in the mall and we were 45 minutes early.

So I wandered. And I bought some shirts. And in my insane-brain, I justified that if I bought my husband some shirts too, it wouldn't count as much. Seriously people.

Then, two of my friends (one of which whose birthday was yesterday, Happy Birthday, T!) suggested a shopping trip today and I was like "I'M THERE" because let's face it, once you eat a piece of cake on a diet, you might as well eat the rest. Then have some ice cream and brownies, too.

So guys, I totally failed. I'm sorry.

I have a proposition for you, instead. To MAKE myself do my shopping diet, I'm going to move it to May (which is really rough because hello, Memorial Day sales!) and you guys can do it with me. I'll post outfits out of the stuff I already own and some tips on remixing without using obnoxious terms like "recessionista" and we can commiserate together. Because it looks like I'll need some support to see this through (WHY did I pick a month with so many days?)

Consider it a bikini boot camp for your closet. And try not to fail after two days.

 Because that's really embarrassing.

8 comments:

Jennifer Wells said...

The hardest part for me is that there are many perspectives on what it means to be "good about not spending." I have SUPER frugal friends. Maybe they would raise an eyebrow at the prices that I pay for makeup or conditioner. Or perfume.

I have other friends who are okay with buying trendy things fairly often. Compared to them, I'm the super-frugal one! That's when I find myself tempted to justify spending.

So, yes, I completely understand how you feel about being tempted to buy pretty things. My eyes dart all over items that I covet--that necklace, those shoes--like some perv at a beauty contest.

Leigh said...

I put myself on a shopping diet about three years ago, after a Christmas and birthday when I received a ton of gift cards and cash and literally ran out of things to buy--it was kind of sad, looking at the Zappos website and thinking, "I really don't NEED anything."

So I decided that I would go a full year without buying ANY clothes, bags or shoes. I unsubscribed from all the store emails, which helped quite a bit actually, and completely gave up shopping cold turkey. The first three months were HARD; I occupied myself by trying to see how long I could go without wearing anything I owned twice. (spoiler alert: it was a very long time)

It got much easier, though, and now even three years later I don't buy NEARLY as much as I used to. I'm better about mixing up the things I already own, and I also learned a lot more about what looks good on me and what I like so instead of just buying something because it's cute and on sale, I only buy what (a) is flattering and (b) goes with at least 3 things I already have.

Good luck on your diet! You can do it! Whenever you get the urge to spend, go shopping in your own closet and mix up a totally new outfit. :)

Unknown said...

Jae, I can strike a deal with you - I will do your shopping diet for you in April if you do a post for people with chubby calves and summer dressing please!

Heidi J said...

I am an addict too, and my husband would heartily agree. Last year I managed to go a few weeks without shopping (was saving for trip to Germany, so I was motivated). I put together maybe 50 looks, each one on a hanger, including jewelry. Actually had a LOT of clothes left over. It was a huge wakeup call to me about how much cute stuff I already have. Then every day I just picked one. Maybe I'll try that again ...

Unknown said...

Me too, Jae. I was all ready to not shop for clothes for the month of April, and I bought four things already. I once went 6 weeks without clothes shopping (it was supposed to be a year). I have so much but always have that "need" for new things.

Jae said...

Glad to hear I'm not the only one. I really do want to do it in May if I can! I *might* slip up around Memorial Day but we'll see.

Leigh, you're my hero. I buy without thinking, so it's always mindblowing to me to realize how often I default to shopping when I'm bored, happy, sad, anything.

Jennifer Wells said...

Jae, how about this: you can trade some time in April for sales around Memorial Day.

And yes, sometimes I want to buy stuff when I'm bored, lonely, frustrated, etc.

Leigh said...

Jae, I think that was the biggest takeaway of my year without shopping--how often I shopped just because I was bored. Now if I'm bored I read, or go out for coffee or for a run with my husband.

The other thing that's kept me from falling into my old bad habits is that my daughters are teenagers now, and they use up a big part of my budget!! Darn kids.

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