The thrill of online shopping
Is it just me, or has quarantine and staying home meant more online shopping than ever? Which is ironic because there is actually so little that I need right now, except maybe more toys to keep my 1 year old entertained. And also pajamas. All the pajamas.
As much as I fantasize about the next time I’ll be out all dressed up with my girlfriends, or traveling with my husband somewhere new and fabulous, the reality is that I do not actually need nice or new clothes, accessories or shoes (definitely not shoes). But I’m also idling at home on my phone a lot, and before I know it an influencer or Instagram ad has caught my attention and my cart is full.
I’m able to reason and understand that spending my money on the items in that cart is totally unnecessary right now, but let’s be honest. Buying new things is not really about the *things*. There’s an excitement that comes during check out, knowing that you’ve treated yo self. The pandemic has taken a lot of other excitement out of our day-to-day as well, so the thrill of buying something new can seem like a highlight with so little else going on.
While the pat on the back you give yourself for abandoning that cart, knowing that you made the right call, is a proud moment, there’s also no action associated with your good decision to celebrate. Your money just stays right where it is, which is great, but mentally it’s just not as gratifying as the high of making the purchase.
One simple step to stop shopping online
If you’re also finding yourself making unnecessary purchases and spending mindlessly, I want you to try my simple, go-to trick to stop shopping online.
When you don’t buy something that you normally would have, move that dollar amount from your checking account into a savings account.
Seriously, try it.
Take action on your good decision
There is one simple way to get the full gratification from that small but impactful financial decision you just made in abandoning your cart. Rather than simply not doing something, you can actually do something to feel that you’ve taken a meaningful action instead of just saying no.
Moving that money into your savings feels like a purchase. It’s coming out of your checking account and now it’s money that you don’t have to spend on something else. But instead of your money going into someone else’s pocket to buy something that you didn’t really want or need, now your money is going toward something that actually matters to you. Whatever was in my cart did not really matter to me. In the end, it will become out of style, worn, and tossed into a donation bin, and I don’t need more of that.
Mindless spending becomes intentional allocation
In its new home – my savings account – my money will go toward something that I have consciously and purposefully decided is important to me. Maybe it will end up in my retirement account at the end of the year. But it could also go toward something else that I really want, but never seem to “have the money” for. Travel. Creating a beautiful outdoor patio. Tennis lessons. Experiences. Health. Even clothes – but high quality, sustainable, long lasting clothes (instead of the cheap fast fashion I almost spent it on).
A lot of times, especially for women with mid-to-high incomes, we do have the money for the things that are important to us, even when we think we don’t. But between influencer culture and the seamless checkout experience on the Amazon app, the stuff that doesn’t really matter to us is constantly in our face and is as accessible as the tap of a screen. Those goals and experiences that actually matter more are not made out to be so sexy by social media, often can’t be bought at the click of a button, and require a little bit of patience and delayed gratification.
Woman Money is not about extreme frugality, deprivation or assuming that we all have the same goals for our future. But mindless spending is real, and my goal is to help women take back control over where their hard-earned money goes so that it can serve them in ways that align with their values and priorities.
This small trick is a way to get immediate gratification and delayed gratification at the same time. It makes saving kind of… fun?
Try it, and let me know what you think!
If you’re looking for more ways to think differently about money, check out my free guide: 8 Beliefs About Money to Unlearn Today.