Retail therapy; it’s materialistic, it’s vain, and most of the time it involves overspending, so why the heck does it give us such a buzz?
Yesterday I thought it would be a nice idea for me and my other half to visit Leeds for the day; I had a few (small) things to buy and wanted the range of choice that you can only really find in a city. I didn’t really have a plan for the day; I was in the mood for freedom and choice and possibly stumbling across places I hadn’t anticipated. The thing is, it’s been a while since I visited Leeds for ‘shopping’ purposes (it’s normally food or alcohol purposes) and yesterday I remembered exactly why it is that I avoid doing that. That godforsaken M word. Money. Neither of us really has a lot of it, and like the rest of the population, we spend our days dreaming about how more of it would be the key to a happier lifestyle.
Retail therapy is something of an unexplainable phenomenon, and probably always will be. Some studies have found that the need to spend is, alongside overeating and alcohol consumption, a form of restoring self control and regulating stress…. Not sure if that’s a good thing then? Others have suggested that it’s undoubtedly an effective therapy, but it is largely influenced by the mood and emotional state of the buyer, with 62% of one study’s candidates admitting they bought something ‘to cheer themselves up’.
For the most part, I have learned how to control my craving for new things; it’s been over a year now since I was earning a full time wage and believe me, I’ve experienced every single stage possible to adjust to this new lifestyle. I’ve questioned my very existence over it, tried to change banks (to try and make me richer) over it, cried in the middle of Topshop over it and gone into denial about it several times, but eventually I have adapted. I now walk into shops protected by an invisible psychological bubble; I admire the products and maybe have a small debate with myself about one of them (sale items only) but 90% of the time I know from the second I enter that I’m going to walk out empty handed. This has come from a tirade of trial and error occurrences from the midst of my denial stage; I was spending beyond my means and, long story short, ended up with £40 to last me two weeks. The stress of feeling so poor through my own mistakes was so very traumatic I vowed to change my spending behaviour.
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Not even £2 to my name, at least I can pin my fringe back though
Nowadays, every single note that presents itself to me through that cash machine I treat like a block of gold. If I do find something I want retail-wise, I make sure I have searched comparatively for it to make there’s nowhere that I can get it cheaper. I never ever buy something that is similar to what I already own, I rarely buy anything for full price and I have turned into something of a food shopping Lieutenant General, regularly found ordering my Dad to put back that third pack of sausages he just sneaked into the trolley. Now that I’m firmly in the mindset of spending this way, I can’t help but wonder if retail therapy (and spending in general) is all really just force of habit. If we get into a routine of impulse buying, we’re going to do so whether we earn £10,000p.a or £50,000p.a, meaning if we’ve mastered being money conscious – or tight if you prefer – is it possible we could be on £2000 a month and still be able to walk past Zara without just the tiniest craving to go inside and buy that amazing dress that’s in the window? It just doesn’t seem feasible.
However, after saying all this and deeming myself a master and all that jazz, my self control was yesterday overwhelmed by Leeds and all its materialistic delights; my psychological bubble was well and truly popped. I have been on a decent run of managing my finances now for months; I budget all the time, allowing for certain nights out or events that I know I have within that month, I never miss a credit card payment and I even contribute to my ISA after every payday, but every so often that need for a retail fix really does come and bite you in the bum. I’d expected us to have to fork out for dinner, train fare etc on top of any purchases that were made, but I’d totally misjudged what I would have wanted to end up spending. We both came back in horrendous moods, feeling like peasants, and it got me pondering over the pleasure that is retail therapy. Does it really need to involve buying something new, or are there other ways to get your fix?
Maybe we don’t need EVERY colour of that shoe…
Retail Therapy: money friendly style
The Shuffle
Never underestimate the power of a good shuffle round of your wardrobe. Seeing the vast array of new styles and colours as I moved from shop to shop yesterday, I could have bought clothes by the trolley full without a second thought, but thinking about it logically I told myself there must be similar things buried in the back of my wardrobe; I just never saw them anymore and therefore forgot they existed. Wearing something that you haven’t worn for years will prompt people to ask if it’s new or compliment it; replicating a similar public response to if you had bought something new.
Note to Students – Please tell me I am not the only one who thought it was acceptable to buy a new outfit every week (those were the days) when living off nothing but a student loan?! If you were as irresponsible as this, do as I have and utilise your foolish student self by using the clothes you bought in those days instead of spending more these days!
The Memorise
Just as you have a quick scan of the cupboards before you go food shopping, look at what is in your wardrobe before you embark on any form of shopping session. Aside from preventing you buying something you already own, this quick trick can actually cancel out a planned shopping trip completely.
Example scenario of forgetting to scan the wardrobe:
Leaving the House
“I’ll just nip out for a blouse for tonight I think, maybe a cream one, don’t think I’ve got any cream ones have I… *thinks half-heartedly* hmm no”.
In the Shop
“Why can’t I find any cream blouses? Can never find anything when you’re actually looking for it… oh look at that top over there, maybe I could wear that instead… Oh it’s £30 though… I definitely can’t afford it but what’s the harm in trying it on?”
On route to changing room
“Oh that model’s got this blouse on with a white skirt, oh it looks amazing as an outfit… do I have a skirt like that at home? *thinks half-heartedly* hmmm no. I’ll go find the skirt just so I can see what the full outfit looks li– OH MY GOD LOOK AT THOSE SHOES IN THE SALE. I can afford those, I can definitely afford those, what a bargain. I’ll try them on with my blouse and this white skirt that I can’t afford either of”.
In the changing room
“Right, I know I want the shoes but I LOVE the skirt, especially with this blouse. I wanted the blouse before anything… but I don’t own anything that goes with it like this skirt and shoes… I never treat myself to a full outfit really do I… hmmm”.
Buys full outfit, estimated total cost: £110
The Throw Out
There is a difference of course between getting wear out of older clothes and keeping things that you hate just to make your wardrobe look fuller. It’s better for your retail well-being to have a closet containing only 10 quality items than it is containing 50 mismatched items; be realistic and throw out what you have no desire to wear. This is particularly important if you have grown/lost/gained weight as trying to feel good in the wrong fitting clothes will only make you want to indulge in new ones even more.
The Borrow
Responsibly of course. Whether it’s from a friend, a relative, or even one of your Grandma’s vintage dresses, borrowing can trigger the same buzz as buying. There are also sites that specialise in hiring clothes such as www.wishwantwear.com, and www.mycelebritydress.com; perfect if you’re attending an extravagant event but can’t afford to pay extravagant prices. Also look out for the new and rather swanky StyleLend app, created by former model Lona Alia Duncan, which allows women from across the globe to borrow clothes from the closets of others.
The Paypal Reward Method
If you have used the internet to buy or sell, you will most likely have a PayPal account. If you don’t have a PayPal account, consider getting one. Because this is separate from your bank account it presents a great opportunity to become your ‘reward fund’; using only what you make from selling as your budget for your spending. This way you are not making a loss and you’re not buying new clothes on top of old ones, meaning you will have a nice organised wardrobe!
Research has actually shown that the brain reacts to novelty by releasing dopamine (the ‘reward chemical’) ; when we see something new, we see it has potential for rewarding us in some way.
This may explain why the satisfaction when buying something seems so much more intense when we have earned it or is it a reward for something. Spontaneous and irresponsible spending can leave you with all guilt and no buzz, and that is not how retail is supposed to be!
The Compare
Yesterday provided me with a great example of how comparing the price of a product between retailers can save you a fortune. Because of my dwindling mood I did treat myself to a little retail therapy when I got home, but only because I am so close to payday and have more left than usual! I had scoured Leeds for some treggings (somewhere in between a legging and a trouser, they look better than they sound, honest) and could find none of my preferred style below £30. Once I was home I searched online retailers and found myself a pair for £16.50 on Asos.com, and what’s more they were of a more unique style than any of the mass produced kind I had seen in the shops.
Retail therapy is undeniably a ‘thing’, but with some financially-savvy new habits and a little extra self control, you can actually get your fix, avoid the guilt and still have money left over when it comes to payday!
Have you got any tips on getting a retail fix without the giant price tag? Let me know in the comments below, or on our Facebook page or Twitter.
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