2011-10-26, 02:20 AM
Just make online shopping carts/baskets of everything you want in particular places. It's free and a great way to highlight the things you really like without acting on them in terms of owning them physically. I do this with so many sites it's ridiculous, and probably have tens of thousands of dollars in baskets between a handful of stores.
Then just let it go. In this sense you've spent the time to shop for the item, placed it into a cart, along with everything else, and at the end you've spent the same amount of time as you would if you were shopping in general, so you feel satisfied with the action, since it sounds like you're having regrets after actually buying things.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of doing this - and quite honestly the most practical aspect - is that when you actually do intend to buy something from whatever retailer you're looking at, you know exactly what you want and, in most cases, simply have to delete the items from your basket you can't afford at the moment and go through with the purchase of whatever it is. It makes buying things REALLY easy because you've already put in the time looking at them, debating their necessity in your life, etc.
I'll just use a personal example to end on and to underscore this fact: I love J.Crew. It's my favorite luxury brand that wouldn't be considered a top-tier designer but is such a small notch away from this that it had a show at New York Fashion Week this September, unlike almost every other retailer compared to it. Since May, I've placed a total of three online orders through them. The total of said orders, however, was around $1,000, with each having from 3-8 items. Before I placed each order I had spent about 3 months looking at, playing around with, and debating each item until I finalized exactly what I wanted to buy when I bought it (all of which, I might add, were purchased with 20-25% discounts, which I mention simply to say that retailers often have % off sales, and if you've waited patiently to buy something, they tend to be the best times to place orders, because - obviously - you can get more for your money).
I've been writing this post while sipping a glass of wine and listening to music intently, so I haven't really focused on cohesiveness. I hope my points came across well; if not and you have questions, ask away. But yeah, that's what I do. Online window shop constantly, make dream baskets, buy certain items when the money becomes available. Easiest way to control impulses while ensuring you get exactly what you need/want.
Then just let it go. In this sense you've spent the time to shop for the item, placed it into a cart, along with everything else, and at the end you've spent the same amount of time as you would if you were shopping in general, so you feel satisfied with the action, since it sounds like you're having regrets after actually buying things.
Perhaps my favorite aspect of doing this - and quite honestly the most practical aspect - is that when you actually do intend to buy something from whatever retailer you're looking at, you know exactly what you want and, in most cases, simply have to delete the items from your basket you can't afford at the moment and go through with the purchase of whatever it is. It makes buying things REALLY easy because you've already put in the time looking at them, debating their necessity in your life, etc.
I'll just use a personal example to end on and to underscore this fact: I love J.Crew. It's my favorite luxury brand that wouldn't be considered a top-tier designer but is such a small notch away from this that it had a show at New York Fashion Week this September, unlike almost every other retailer compared to it. Since May, I've placed a total of three online orders through them. The total of said orders, however, was around $1,000, with each having from 3-8 items. Before I placed each order I had spent about 3 months looking at, playing around with, and debating each item until I finalized exactly what I wanted to buy when I bought it (all of which, I might add, were purchased with 20-25% discounts, which I mention simply to say that retailers often have % off sales, and if you've waited patiently to buy something, they tend to be the best times to place orders, because - obviously - you can get more for your money).
I've been writing this post while sipping a glass of wine and listening to music intently, so I haven't really focused on cohesiveness. I hope my points came across well; if not and you have questions, ask away. But yeah, that's what I do. Online window shop constantly, make dream baskets, buy certain items when the money becomes available. Easiest way to control impulses while ensuring you get exactly what you need/want.