Totally off topic and fairly personal, but important I think
The depression/clothing spiral:
I'm feeling down so, like a lot of us, I decide to go shopping as a pick-me-up. I walk into the store ready to buy myself a little splurge. Something to validate the idea that I'm good and special and deserve a treat. I look for that thing that I'll just fall in love with, that will make me feel good every time I put it on. But I either can't find it or can't afford it. But I really wanted a treat and now I'm feeling defeated so I convince myself that I actually like something and buy it so I can feel successful. But I don't really love it so it sits in the closet. Then every time I see it I feel guilty because I wasted money on something I don't use. This makes me feel bad and...
I generally toss it in the sell/donate pile and then feel good about myself for being oh-so-ruthless and organized ;-P If I manage to sell it, it minimizes the guilt because I got some of the money back. If I donate it, then no guilt, because clearly I just spent the money on *charity*, not on useless crap I don't need.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you read the blog "andthenwesaved" long enough you start taking not-spending-money as a challenge and going into a store and leaving without anything becomes sort of a point of pride. So either you leave with something you love (win!) or you leave feeling like you "beat" the store at it's own game (win!)
So what I'm saying is... I'm pretty good at rationalizing ;-P
"So what I'm saying is... I'm pretty good at rationalizing"
ReplyDeleteThat would be because you're a Reedie. That's what they teach there. ;)
Yeah, my bad purchases generally get given away to friends or donated but there is still that pang of guilt while I do so, knowing that I just shouldn't have bought it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI like the "beat the store" idea.
Naw naw, you gotta reframe and think about what a fabulously generous person you are! ;-)
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