Getting to know yourself is a crucial aspect of growing up, and it will help you a lot in the future. You could have some bad habits that you believe to be your hobbies, but your future won’t allow them.
If this is the case, you must figure out a way to get out before you suffer for it. Shopping has been controversial in many groups since most people have problems budgeting.
This becomes a more significant concern when people believe that shopping passes as a hobby, but does it? Let us get into the details and answer this;
Is Shopping A Hobby?
Shopping is a hobby if you buy things for the sake of buying, not necessarily because you need them.
It might be expensive, but shopping is a hobby when you buy something for the experience, be in the moment, have fun, and relax. You could buy things you like and wear them to feel better about yourself.
Why You Should Stop Shopping As A Hobby
By definition, shopping can be a hobby since you enjoy doing something in your free time. Just because you want something doesn’t mean you should do it. Here are some compelling reasons why luxury shopping is not a good idea;
1. The Sustainability Element
Most brands make trends that the buyer wants instead of classic items that last a long time. Making something trendy makes it disposable, which is not sustainable for the environment.
Overconsumption is another major problem, we are consuming more products, and it is becoming an aspect of fast fashion.
The overconsumption of these products hurts the planet in that it demands more resources from it, and we dump items we don’t use anymore.
Overconsumption makes a big ripple, and pollution worsens because of online shopping and boxing.
As we unbox items, we throw away the boxes, and they end up in landfills or our oceans which damages the ecosystem and environment significantly.
With this in mind, it feels somewhat irresponsible to be shopping for fun to the extent that it is a hobby.
2. It is an addiction that adds extra stress to your life
When you think of a hobby, it should be something that doesn’t add any anxiety or strain to your life.
If shopping is your main hobby, it is most likely adding stress to your life, especially when you make big, expensive purchases.
The amount of regret and anxiety that comes after a big purchase is in no way luxurious. The decision fatigue when you are in a store, and you can choose which bag to get, or even if you should be spending $1000 on a bag, is at times incredibly exhausting.
You could make a purchase, then a few weeks or months later, you realize the bag was not for you, or it doesn’t fit in your collection.
You then feel like you wasted the money buying, so you have to sell it, which is a nightmare if you don’t have a platform.
Researchers have proved that most people who consider shopping a hobby have dulled impulse control.
As you keep shopping, it becomes harder to stop, and your tolerance for spending increases, although you feel guilty afterward.
Nobody talks about it, but shopping is an addiction that affects more than 18 million Americans. Compulsive shopping is a significant problem since you get to this point, and you can’t manage your bank accounts since you can’t stop yourself from buying what you want.
3. It is not suitable for your finances
As mentioned before, the more you shop, the easier it becomes to spend a lot of money on items without thinking about it.
After buying, you will look at the product and regret making the purchase, but it’s too late, and you go with it anyways.
A hobby is something you do regularly, weekly, daily, or in a fortnight. If shopping is your hobby, we need to understand the financial stress it will bring you after a few months. Imagine spending $2000 each week on shoes and bags.
This becomes $8000 each month, and mind you; you have other financial responsibilities. If you get too into it, you could end up spending all your money on fashion and fail to have necessities in your life.
It could be that you have enough money, but is spending it on fashion the most ethical thing to do?
There is always a good cause that might use your money to help someone that needs it, so donating $1000 might make you feel better than spending $100 on a handbag.
How To Know What To Buy When Shopping
It would help if you were smart about your shopping to prevent spending too much money on non-essential items.
There are many ways you can go about it, but understanding it is a journey that changes for everyone, so let us get into the details;
1. Take time to know yourself
To know what to buy when shopping, you need to know yourself and what you like personally. With the digital age, it is easy to get influenced by what everyone else is doing and wearing, but in the end, you have to figure out what you like and stick to it.
Try to block out other trends as much as you can so you don’t spend money on a product you don’t even like, just because many people are getting it.
Managing the diversity of your purchases will save you a lot of cash and stress; thus, it’s worth looking at.
If you don’t know what you like, list out all items you don’t like, and you will therefore never buy them.
You will be left with some you like, and you can invest in those. As you go on, you will understand your taste better and narrow down what you want.
2. What to go for
There are several product categories, especially clothes that you can buy to limit how much you spend in the long run.
The first thing is neutrals; they are great before going with everything. You can mix them with other pieces in your wardrobe and wear them all year round. You can get more value from one neutral product than two expensive designers.
Another thing you should go for is great basics, look for good t-shirts, blouses, trousers or denim that you know will never go out of style.
If you buy these in wear-neutral colors, you can use them for a long time without having to spend more money.
You can go for basics if you want to, but you spice it up. You could get a t-shirt with funky cutouts or something like that, which will make you more fashionable without draining your bank account or killing the planet.
You can also go for classic patterns such as stripes or dots. Stripes are incredibly reliable since it is classic even when used on basic pieces of clothing. Elements like jewelry and scarfs will help bring everything together and make you look amazing.
What You Should Avoid When Shopping
When you go shopping, you need to be careful to buy what you need or limit how much you spoil yourself. Here are a few things you should avoid doing to help you manage your shopping better;
- Don’t buy something you already have in your wardrobe. Even if it is a different color, unless it is a t-shirt, don’t buy more of one style. If you already have a piece, consider getting something different but still in your taste and budget.
You can get the same clothes if you have to go to work wearing the same thing every day. This way, you will have replacements when you clean one piece.
- Avoid trend-driven pieces that are super-hot now, but they won’t be in fashion in a few months. It is not worth it since they are often expensive, yet you won’t use them for an extended time.
- Avoid cheap items; you can buy inexpensive but cheap items often have issues with quality. If you get cheap, poor-quality things, you will have to constantly replace them, which is terrible for the environment and inconvenient for you.
- Before you go shopping, constantly refresh yourself on what you are uncomfortable with. When you get to the store, don’t even think about getting these items since you know you will not like them since they will waste your money.
Conclusion
Shopping, by definition, passes as a hobby, but it is not a particularly healthy one. You could end up wasting a lot of money if you become a compulsive shopper, so it is something you need to keep your attention on.
Know yourself and the clothes you like, so you only get that when shopping. Buying trendy outfits is not a good idea since they will go out of fashion in a few months then you are left with a $500 product that you can’t use.
