How to Avoid A Bad Buy Day - Tips from a Reformed Shopaholic

Hey lovelies!

The headline of this post might have intrigued you a little bit - well I am talking about the 'reformed shopaholic' part. If you have been a part of my blogging journey since last few years, you might have noticed my shopping habits change over the time. If you are new to my blog, then I would just give a brief intro that I was a shopping addict and mostly an impulse shopper.

But over the years, not only I have evolved as a person but my shopping habits have also changed considerably. Not that I don't shop anymore, but I do practical shopping. And that's why I thought I will share my thoughts today about avoiding a bad purchase or a bad shopping day - as I am sure each one of us has had a bad shopping day more than once.

Are their certain times when you come back home from a great shopping trip, open your shopping bags and immediately think -" Why did I buy this? What was I thinking?" - Well that's what you call a bad shopping day, and in this post I am going share some instant advice about how to be a smart shopper.

• Prepare a Basic Shopping List 

I have realised that the best way to avoid needless purchases and sticking to your budget is by having a shopping list ready with you. I usually have a list ready for each season considering the wardrobe needs could change with seasons. Here, I have prepared a sample wardrobe shopping list that you can refer to -

Keep a similar list in your phone whenever you go shopping, and if you think you have enough items that are shown in the list already - you don't need to spend money on buying unnecessary clothes or shoes.

• Wait Overnight before selecting 'CHECKOUT' on your online shopping cart

Aren't we all guilty of making those impulse online purchases, as soon as we see an ad about a 1-day Sale or a Free product. Well, I surely was one of those people who used to get excited by seeing such offers and used to place orders in an instant. And at times, I had many online orders arriving at my place that I had completely forgotten about.

But once I realised that my wardrobe was overflowing with clothes and makeup that I hardly used, I knew I had to put a stop to the impulse online purchases. Now, whenever I see an incredible offer on a brand I liked, or had an urge to shop online - I add the products I like in the shopping cart but before I click Checkout-  I decide to wait for a day and sleep on it. And trust me, the next day I end up realising that the things I wanted to pick were not that important. 

• Shopping with a clear head

Most of us end up doing impulsive shopping usually after a breakup, a bad day at work or a fight with friends or family. Not only you end up making bad decisions, you also end up piling on things that you later realise you would have never picked had you been in your right mind.  

Source : Etsy

So, next time when you think about going for a shopping spree after a bad day - go have a hot chocolate instead - it's super relaxing and would cost you just a few bucks instead of a long shopping bill.

• Wait for the Sales

My friends and I follow this religiously and it has worked out wonders for us to not only control my urge to shop all the time, but also to save up a lot of money as all the brands put their collections on sale within 2 months of the launch. So, if you are not in a hurry to refresh your wardrobe or pick your favourites from the new merchandise, wait for the Sales when almost all the high street brands have offers upto 70% off. 

And if you know exactly when the sales start (you can keep a tab through Facebook and Instagram, and also by following your favourite bloggers who know about these sales before they go live) - you can end up saving a lot of money.

• Invest in Capsule Wardrobe Essentials

Now, this is one thing that I have learnt in last couple of years. Instead of purchasing every new trend that comes out every season and becomes obsolete soon; its better to invest in statement basics like a Louis Vuitton bag or a statement watch that are here to stay for long and you would be reaching out for them a lot often as compared to your in-trend jute bag or silicon-strap watch. 

Source : Pinterest

These essentials are not only the foundation for a classic wardrobe but also will be a mainstay in your closet; thus making it easier and chicer to dress up every day. 

So, what do you think of these tops to avoid a bad shopping day? Do you have additional tips to contribute to this list? Let me know in Comments below 

Love

Nitika