Shopaholic?

[monster]

Well are you? I read Confessions of a Shopaholic -well I tried to- but I just didn't get it because I am totally not a shopaholic. I'm Scrooge McStingy. I'm only pleased with a purchase if it was something we absolutely desperately needed and I got it for 10% or less of the going rate. Otherwise I hate shopping. For food, clothes, anything. In fact I hate food and clothing shopping so much that if I find what I need at a good price, I'll buy as much as I possibly can -and then a bit more- so I can put off shopping again for as long as possible. Drives Beest nuts when there's a good meat deal on -getting the stuff into the freezer is his job

I never need to have the latest thing -the latest phone/car/coach purse..... How ridiculous to pay so much when you can get an older and perfectly functional model for a fraction of the price. I only just moved up to a cellphone that flips closed.

I sort of enjoy gift shopping, but only if I really like that person and know their interests well enough that I can find something unusual that they'll love. But even then I want it at a bargain price. I prefer to buy gifts for people when I see something they'll love rather than when it's a traditional/expected time to give them a gift.

I quite like cruising second hand stores, but I'm happiest when I see stuff that I have priced at higher than I paid, and I can't find anything I want to buy

Bizarrely though, I am a hoarder and a collecter, but I just don't want to go shopping for the stuff. I am slowly changing my hoarding ways, I wonder if I may eventually turn into a shopaholic to fill the empty spaces?

How do you rate?

[Sundae]

I don't love shopping in a cliched girls-love-shopping-and-chocolate way. The idea of a whole day out shopping fills me with horror, not delight. But as everyone knows I am fiscally irresponsible, magpie-minded, and too generous with money I don't have. Which means if I happen to be out and see something sparkly or something that makes me think of someone else, like as not I'll buy it. Or at least be sorely tempted.

I am also greedy enough to love food shopping. Give me a large supermarket a couple of hours and £100 and I will be your slave forever. The worst thing for me about drinking crappy SlimFast - apart from the drinking crappy SlimFast part - is not being able to dawdle through Sainsbury's whiling away the time. It's not a large supermarket and I don't have £100, but not being able to spend the little I have on ingredients makes me feel a little lost. Fruit and cat litter just don't do it somehow.

I swear I could be a professional supermarket shopper. I'm doing it for Grandad this week after all. Mum says he won't want her back if I keep spoiling him. Told her he'd soon miss all the things she does - liver sausage and pancakes can only go so far!

[Trilby]

I will admit to shopaholic tendencies only - not the full blown thing.

I buy what I love - but I don't shop (except grocery shopping) sometimes for months at a time.

[Scriveyn]

Pretty similar, monster.

I hate shopping for clothes, buy 3 or 4 pairs of shoes/pullovers/whatever at a time and have done with it for the next few years.

I like shopping for food, as I enjoy cooking. Needs to a relaxed trawl though, not the rush after work or in the lunch break.

A new phone/car/furniture every year? Not for me, I buy things for life and take my time about it. While I could afford a big buy then and there out of my bank account, it simply doesn't seem right. The waiting, mulling and pondering seems to be prerequisite of the eventual satisfaction.

Buy second hand/antiques too, or get things that other people throw out in the street for the rubbish collection. Can't see why they should go to waste, when they are still good and maybe just "out of fashion". Besides, older things/antiques are often better quality.

[SamIam]

I hae to keep a close eye on my budget, so shopping is a pain in the ass. I like to hit the thrift shops, though -many good bargains there. My last find was a very nice Braun coffee maker for only $3.00. And there's people out there who seem to buy top brand clothing, wear it once and give it to the thrift shop. I find items that retailed for $100, still in great shape and priced at a few dollars.

[glatt]

I really like going to the hardware store. I can tolerate the grocery store. Pretty much everything else sucks.

I used to like buying electronics, but that was a couple decades ago. Now when I shop for electronics, I'm just trying not to make a mistake that I'll regret for years.

[Pico and ME]

I live for clearance shopping! But only for things that I need or will use anyway. I shop for summer clothes in the winter and winter clothes in the summer. AND, I wait to do so until there is a coupon - Kohls, Penneys and Macys often have 15 - 20% off coupons. I have not paid full price or even normal sale price for any of the boys clothes.

I will totally stock up if the price is right - right now, in my linen closet, are about 8 Arm and Hammer antiperspirants because they were a $1 each AND I had a coupon. Same thing with Colgate toothpaste. I buy my toilet paper (Scotts single-ply) and paper towels (Pom) in bulk at Sams Club. While there, I buy the big packages of skinless chicken breasts and center-cut pork chops and divvy them up into smaller baggies and throw them in the freezer.

[Pico and ME]

My one weakness is Hobby Lobby. If I go in there to take advantage of their 50% off sales, I usually never get out of there for under $100. I had to cold turkey that place.

[BrianR]

I thought Confessions of a Shopaholic (the movie) was made about me.

It's SO totally me it's scary. I am reformed though. I cut up the credit cards long ago and try to spend more sensibly now, but even with sales and such, I always NEED that one other thing!

My wife now accompanies me to ALL stores, even Blockbuster!

[DanaC]

I am not big one for clothes shopping; or food shopping or even furniture shopping. I am dangerous if let loose in a pet shop: if I see something I think Pilau would really like, i will buy it. I have zero self-control when it comes to entertainment. Books, dvds, audioplays etc. If an obsession hits then... frankly I shouldnt be allowed anywhere near my debit card at that point. Internet shopping, especially for things that will be instantly available via download, is too easy.

like, I got into 5th Doctor novels a few weeks ago. I read a couple from the library and liked them...cue an internet shopping spree of £65 to buy the first nine in the series.
The sensible thing to do ould have been to buy them one or two at a time. But no. It'll probably take me a year to read them all. It's just too easy to add things to the shopping basket.