There's something you should understand about me. I hate really don't like shopping. It doesn't matter what kind of shopping- I dislike it all. Grocery shopping is my most dreaded chore, clothes shopping makes me anxious just thinking about it, and any other shopping is only tolerable if there's a friend along for the ride. Or if there's shoes involved.
I'm not sure if my disdain of shopping came from growing up around all boys and a mother who also hates shopping, growing up in a small town that boasted nothing more than a Wal-Mart and JCPenny for my shopping needs, or if I was just one of those people born to hate shopping.
I don't like shopping because I don't like spending money
If you haven't caught on from my budget series yet, I love love love saving money. I'm a natural saver and I spend my days (literally) learning how to be a better steward of my money (AKA saving money and having a great budget).
My natural saver instinct kicks in when I look at a bottle of lotion at Bath & Body Works only to find it's $12.50, or see a single shirt that costs $30.
For this reason, I like thrift store shopping more than any other kind of shopping and am proud of the deals that I find there. In general, though, I find that it's easier on my saver soul if I just stay home... or only go shopping if I have gift cards.
I don't like shopping because it creates major discontentment
This is perhaps the main reason I dislike shopping. I can get over the spending money part (and often do if something is a great deal), but when I'm out shopping, I often find myself discontent with what I already have.
When I'm out shopping for clothes I often find myself wishing that I had a greater budget that would allow me to buy all the cute clothes I see. I'll try on clothes and immediately become discontent with the way I look- the way my huge granny hips spread out, or the way that I'll probably never have a flat stomach. I may have been feeling awesome after a recent run, but stepping into that dressing room almost immediately zaps me of any self confidence I once had.
If I wander through Best Buy, Costco, or even Wal-Mart, I find myself wishing I had a new phone case or hoping for some bass-thumpin new headphones. Hobby Lobby creates in me a desire for a giant dispensable income to spend on home DIY projects. No matter where I go, shopping usually brings out the green monster in me, and it's something I don't like to see, so I try to avoid situations where it's most likely to rear its ugly head (i.e. shopping). Since I'm working on being content, I'll probably continue to stay out of the stores.
I don't like shopping because it zaps my energy
I don't know about you, but I am not one of those people that comes back from a huge shopping spree re-energized and ready to take on the world. I'm one of those people that comes home, collapses on the couch (usually without any purchases- see point #1), and feels totally worn out.
Around Christmas time I come home, collapse on the couch, and thank the Lord that I didn't die driving from store to store (don't tell me Colorado is the only place with insane drivers around the holidays!).
I love getting a good deal or a new item of clothing that I'm excited to wear, but I'm usually so pooped after a single shopping trip that I'll postpone another one for three months. Shopping is a draining activity for me so I really only do it when I have to.
With all of the above being 100% true, there is one reason I do like shopping, and that's because
Shopping is time with friends
I have long since realized that my disdain of shopping puts me in the vast minority of girls. When I got to college, it took me years (literally) to understand why on earth all of my friends liked to go shopping. Spending money and walking around for hours had never been on my list of fun things to do for the 18 years prior to arriving at college.
However, towards the end of college I started realizing that some of the best conversations I had with friends was while we were out shopping. Something about flipping through a rack of clothing causes a girl to open up and share her heart. I started enjoying shopping a little bit more because it meant time with friends and a time to connect. I still value shopping for this reason and I have learned to embrace all the extra walking as a little bit of exercise.
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Shopping will likely never become one of my favorite things to do for the above reasons and because it's rarely on the to-do list of my testosterone loaded house (a husband and three brothers). I will say that I enjoy dreaming about different outfits and home items I could create, but the majority of those things may stay dreams. If you're a friend reading this, I will definitely go shopping with you... maybe just not every time we hang out?
Anyone else share my disdain for shopping? If you do like it, why do you like it? Do you have ideas on how I could dislike it less?
