I'm not used to this kind of frenzied shopping for things like I've been this year. From buying clothes and accessories for myself, like sweaters, jackets, socks, watches, socks, shoes, handbags, etc. to things for my Equal Half like shirts, trousers, sweaters for him, wallet, shoes, etc. and things like chocolate, and gifts for friends and family, it has been a trail of searching, looking for the best bargain, deciding on the best deal, then emptying the purse.
Almost every day I've been collecting things, so that by the end of the year, when the holidays start, we do not have to panic for the last minute forgotten gift for someone. Taking up a holiday job in a departmental store, I guess, has resulted in my extra spending.
When I see so many things around me, at good deals and great discounts, can I put a rein to my spending spree? The aisles and the racks are choc-a-bloc with imported stuff, which are screaming to be bought off. Their shining labels and their straight-off-the-factory smells, the crispness of their fabrics, the listings of their ingredients, their bright colours – how many people are there who can turn away from them?
In a down economy, when the unemployment rate is in double digit, and the GDP of the economy is negative, how can one shop so much? This is a question anyone would ask. The answer is, since the economy is down, the shopping experience has become more and more mind boggling. It requires more time and energy to find the best deal. From minutely scanning the newspapers and leaflets to search for coupons, to keeping an eye open for the sale of the day, it requires one to assimilate a lot of information and store it somewhere in the mind, or in a notebook.
And I don't think I'm done yet. I haven't had the time to scan today's newspaper (the Sunday edition, which has more of the stuff). It's only December 20 today. There are four more days to go. The world might change in the meantime. Would I remain sane from all the shopping until the 25th? May God be with me.
Showing posts with label best deals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best deals. Show all posts
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday
Even before I got up from bed, since last night, and much much before that, more than the talk of Thanksgiving was the talk of Black Friday. Not only amongst people, but in the media. The newspapers, television, and the Internet has been painted red and green and black with news about deals that are the lowest.
The talk of competition among retailers in slashing prices made the rounds for a few days. The Internet pulled all stops to talk about Cyber Monday too. One after the other, it is all about buying, shopping, acquiring things, materials, goods, filling up the house.
Last year, the whole day, both my Equal Half and I were out of the house, shop hopping. Thhe number of things we bought last year were so many, that this time I was still exhausted, even after one whole year, to go out and repeat the cycle once more.
I might be exhausted, but not him. Much of his Thanksgiving passed browsing the newspapers for the best deals. Especially the Best Buy pages, electronics - which is his weakest spot. Whether it is cell phones, computer/netbook/notebook, or plasma screen television, I think all men have this weakness. They don't generally go after cosmetics or handbags, like the women do. In clothing, men do not have as many visible choices to make, unlike women. And the market has been doing its best to lure the men into buying the things they covet most.
My Equal Half started cribbing in bed early on for not being out browing Black Friday deals. 'Not to buy, just to browse,' he kept repeating. 'Let's go out for Black Fridaying.'
If I've not been this firm about sticking to our budget, or not accumulating things that we don't need, we'd have been out the entire day, just the way we were last year. We'd have exhausted out wallets, credit cards, and bank balances, just to crowd our house some more and become a lot poorer for all of it.
The talk of competition among retailers in slashing prices made the rounds for a few days. The Internet pulled all stops to talk about Cyber Monday too. One after the other, it is all about buying, shopping, acquiring things, materials, goods, filling up the house.
Last year, the whole day, both my Equal Half and I were out of the house, shop hopping. Thhe number of things we bought last year were so many, that this time I was still exhausted, even after one whole year, to go out and repeat the cycle once more.
I might be exhausted, but not him. Much of his Thanksgiving passed browsing the newspapers for the best deals. Especially the Best Buy pages, electronics - which is his weakest spot. Whether it is cell phones, computer/netbook/notebook, or plasma screen television, I think all men have this weakness. They don't generally go after cosmetics or handbags, like the women do. In clothing, men do not have as many visible choices to make, unlike women. And the market has been doing its best to lure the men into buying the things they covet most.
My Equal Half started cribbing in bed early on for not being out browing Black Friday deals. 'Not to buy, just to browse,' he kept repeating. 'Let's go out for Black Fridaying.'
If I've not been this firm about sticking to our budget, or not accumulating things that we don't need, we'd have been out the entire day, just the way we were last year. We'd have exhausted out wallets, credit cards, and bank balances, just to crowd our house some more and become a lot poorer for all of it.
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