• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Do you have a compulsive shopping habit?

specialblend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
My girlfriend has been angry with me, she claims I have a compulsive shopping habit and that I put buying clothes ahead of paying bills and even buying groceries. I realize there is some truth to this and want to change. It is usually small things, a polo here, a hoodie there, a great tie every month or two and one big purchase a season, i'm good at keeping it under $200 a purchase and no more than $500 a month but that is a lot for a lowly retail salesperson. This big purchase that sparked the argument was buying a new snowboarding jacket and pants even though my stuff from last year was just fine (But dreadfully mismatched)

Do you have a compulsive shopping habit or did you have one? If you did have one, how did you break it? If you still have it and can't afford it, what are you doing to keep it going? Do you ever feel guilty about it?
 

manouche

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
867
Reaction score
3
I bought 15 pens in the last 6 months.

I also bought 4 wallets in the last 2 months.

All on ebay.

I am compulsive ?
 

lordofpi

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
273
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by manouche
I bought 15 pens in the last 6 months.

I also bought 4 wallets in the last 2 months.

All on ebay.

I am compulsive ?


Absolutely not! You have to write, don't you? What if you had lost 14 pens? You wouldn't have anything to write with! Therefore, you needed 15. And wallets... well, you could easily leave them all in another pair of pants by accident. Again, a necessity. At least, it all makes sense to me since I do the same stuff!
wink.gif


To answer more seriously the O/P, I really do not consider it a compulsion. I know I like clothes. It is the one thing on which I spend money that brings me happiness. Cars and sports and many other things that are common diversions for most men do not do too much for me. I never feel compelled to buy, and I have no problem walking away or saving a purchase for a year from now. I especially find myself slowing down as my wardrobe becomes more complete (though I will now have to focus on replacing lower-end items from long ago with more bespoke items in the coming years).
 

specialblend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
I think its not about the quantity, rather about how you behave towards getting those things. Do you place more value on having things rather than having people around you? Do you put buying things ahead of paying the bills? Do you shop wether you have the money or not?
 

manouche

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Messages
867
Reaction score
3
Originally Posted by specialblend
I think its not about the quantity, rather about how you behave towards getting those things. Do you place more value on having things rather than having people around you? Do you put buying things ahead of paying the bills? Do you shop wether you have the money or not?

Stuff I buy fill in my life. Without them, I would be bored to death.

The best is the hunting. Once I got what I wanted, it becomes more or less dull.

I would never pay 2 euros for a drink in a bar but I would spend 250 euros in an umbrella.
 

lordofpi

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
273
Reaction score
1
^Well, for me, I can easily answer, "Absolutely not." If you find yourself slipping into that type of pattern, I would suggest sitting down and creating a monthly or quarterly budget. Have someone help you if you feel you are not capable of planning this. Once you get the hang of it, you will plan your purchases rather than make impulse buys. I actually have MS Outlook tasks going into 2010 regarding purchases (clothing-related) I intend to make. I have some disposable money set aside for impulse buys, but mostly I try to plan things out so that I cannot fall into that trap. A big part of this is really understanding what it is that you are going to need to buy.
 

longskate88

Distinguished Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Messages
1,218
Reaction score
6
Originally Posted by specialblend
I think its not about the quantity, rather about how you behave towards getting those things. Do you place more value on having things rather than having people around you? Do you put buying things ahead of paying the bills? Do you shop wether you have the money or not?
Well, now you just sound like an average American
tongue.gif
I only compulsively shop for watches...but to get to the point where you're not paying bills?
wink.gif
The way I reign in spending is by saying "I'm in college, I might hate my job once I get out, I better not get in the habit of requiring expensive things." I don't know your situation, but I went to visit a CPA firm a few months ago, and since then I have a hard time spending, since I fear I may hate the job when I graduate, thus no $, and i want to retire someday. Having a frugal GF helps too, takes time away from spending just to prevent boredom like Manouche mentioned
thumbs-up.gif
 

lordofpi

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
273
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by manouche
I would never pay 2 euros for a drink in a bar but I would spend 250 euros in an umbrella.

QFT
 

specialblend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by lordofpi
^Well, for me, I can easily answer, "Absolutely not." If you find yourself slipping into that type of pattern, I would suggest sitting down and creating a monthly or quarterly budget. Have someone help you if you feel you are not capable of planning this. Once you get the hang of it, you will plan your purchases rather than make impulse buys. I actually have MS Outlook tasks going into 2010 regarding purchases (clothing-related) I intend to make. I have some disposable money set aside for impulse buys, but mostly I try to plan things out so that I cannot fall into that trap. A big part of this is really understanding what it is that you are going to need to buy.
Well I do budget, but I budget around clothing purchases. I leave myself too much room for clothes, lunches, haircuts, etc and not enough for groceries or paying down debt. I rarely put things on credit and never miss a bill payment or rent deadline but clothes always take priority. I don't need lessons on budgeting, if anything I do that too well. It's just that my priorities are misplaced in that budgeting.
 

JTA

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
855
Reaction score
12
Originally Posted by lordofpi
^Well, for me, I can easily answer, "Absolutely not." If you find yourself slipping into that type of pattern, I would suggest sitting down and creating a monthly or quarterly budget. Have someone help you if you feel you are not capable of planning this. Once you get the hang of it, you will plan your purchases rather than make impulse buys. I actually have MS Outlook tasks going into 2010 regarding purchases (clothing-related) I intend to make. I have some disposable money set aside for impulse buys, but mostly I try to plan things out so that I cannot fall into that trap. A big part of this is really understanding what it is that you are going to need to buy.
I seconded this suggestion. Try to make monthly, quarterly and half-yearly budget plan for your daily necessities and savings first before going on to your spending. Make a list of your inventory as well. Apart from that, when you are going to make your purchase, shift your mindset to "what do I need" first than "what do I want".
 

Nataku

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
9,828
Reaction score
27,340
I admit I am a compulsive shopper. Though my main source is thrifting/discount stores/deep discount sales, it's still shopping. I can't pass up a good deal, that's my problem. Another problem is, I don't wear half the **** I buy. It just ends up being a closet decoration. Still, a 2 year old Isaia suit for $10? How can I not buy it?!
 

dfagdfsh

Professional Style Farmer
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
22,649
Reaction score
7,932
I probably spend more money on clothes than I do on any other luxury type purchase, but I don't spend money I don't have and I try to get the best value/deal possible. I accept sacrifices in other areas (ie: I don't have a car, I don't eat out often, I don't buy books or have a brand new Macbook), to fund my clothing purchases, which works out all in the en.d
 

specialblend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by JD_May
For future reference, save money on snowboard stuff by using www.whiskeymilitia.com and www.tramdock.com.
It's not deals i'm cruising for, it's things that I really don't need. Deals will only promote more unnecessary spending! i.e. having the new fashion or the latest topsheet graphic even though my old boards and jackets are in great shape.
 

specialblend

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
75
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by Teger
I probably spend more money on clothes than I do on any other luxury type purchase, but I don't spend money I don't have and I try to get the best value/deal possible. I accept sacrifices in other areas (ie: I don't have a car, I don't eat out often, I don't buy books or have a brand new Macbook), to fund my clothing purchases, which works out all in the en.d

Same, I don't have a car and my rent is fairly low. In fact, I wont buy a car because it would mean sacrificing my current spending habits.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.3%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 61 39.1%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 10.9%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 17.9%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,207
Messages
10,579,344
Members
223,892
Latest member
cprice
Top