UNSUBSCRIBE

Sorry about the cheesy – salesman type headline. I wasn’t sure how else to share this important message.

So here is the thing – on my birthday I received a lot of happy birthday emails from credit cards, stores I frequent like Victoria Secrets (I hear it is now canceled – my wallet is thankful), Bath and Body, ish this beautiful shoe store that promises you handmade shoes, clothes stores, etc., etc

 Is your inbox full off offers? Mine is 🙁 

    From Chipo’s email

Also from Chipo’s email

Chipo suffers from FOMO, so this hurts

I get a ton of these emails every day. I share my email address to get a discount, and before I know it, I am spending more than I need to. You can use unroll to unsubscribe from several stores all at once or do it manually as you get the emails.

Raise your hand if you have ever clicked on a promotion link and ended up spending $100 or more- be honest. Honesty is the only way this relationship between us will work.

Stores know how to pull at our heartstrings; they also know that everyone likes to feel like they are getting a good deal. As a reformed (reforming is more accurate) shopper I can confess that you are not getting a good deal if you are buying things you do not need. If you spend $100 after 25% off, you did not save 25% you spent $100. If the $100 was not in your budget, then you have stolen $100 from yourself.

Strategies to deal with online shopping struggles

1. Set a monthly budget – is shopping for item X included in your budget for this month? Yes-continue to X website No- get off the internet and run five laps in your kitchen.
2. Unsubscribe – you do not need notifications to spend your hard-earned money or to sink into more debt
3. Write down things you may need to buy but that are not urgent. I need two new blazers for work, shoes and work pants. All my shoes have developed holes – how is this even possible? Granted I walk everywhere, but this is quite stressful.
   1. Figure out how much you can afford for the things you need but that are not urgent
4. Delete your credit card information from stores. I know that if I have to re-enter information, I am less likely to finish the purchase.
5. Marie Kondo your closet or home –
   1. Clothes- If you have not worn something in a year (unless you have some legit reason like being pregnant), then it has to go. You can sell any clothes you no longer need on threadUp, donate to charity, or do a swap with friends.
   2. Household items- if you have not used something in a year, it should go – sell the items on craigslist or have a garage sale. Alternatively, donate any extra stuff to a nearby church they always have families in need for bits and odds

6. Wait – give yourself 24 hours after putting something in your cart before you buy it. If you forget about it then it wasn’t important

7. Track your savings – focus on your financial goals. There is something you need more than another pair of $100 yoga pants. It hurts me to say this because yoga pants are the best. Have you seen these new office yoga pants? Phenomenal. Do I want them? Yes- do I feel that I deserve them- of course, I do. Should I get them? No, because we have goals booooooooooo
8. Consider participating in a no spending week – I will write more about this. I am trying this shopping fast where I for a week without buying anything -not water, coffee or even cherries (this kills my soul). We still do our weekly groceries during that week, but we do not shop for anything else.

This is the goal – SAVE and watch your piggy get fatty fatty