How To Be A Conscious Shopper This Holiday Season

Conscious shopping vs. unconscious shopping means the difference between overspending and resorting to credit cards, to keeping to your well-established plan and not charging a single item.

Conscious shoppers choose when they go shopping, rather than feeling compelled to shop. They make a conscious decision to place themselves in a shopping situation – they don’t just “find themselves” shopping and can’t quite piece together how they got there in the first place.

This is important because women who over-shop, compulsively shop or are addicted to shopping often feel their shopping is done in a fog.  Their shopping behavior is so entrenched and so unconscious that they have no awareness of making the decision to shop.

It’s like the chain smoker who never really decides to light up – they’re just constantly smoking.

Or the over-eater who can’t quite recall how the box of chocolate cookies ended up empty  – one minute they were watching TV, the next moment, the box is empty and their lap is full of crumbs.

What happened in between is unclear.

So it is with the compulsive and over shopper. They just “find themselves” in a shopping situation and can’t pinpoint ever deciding to go shopping. It just… happens.

Related:  9 Sure Fire Ways To Save Money Christmas Shopping 

This is what I call shopping asleep at the wheel. Or shopping on autopilot. Or shopping with your brain switched to the OFF or NEUTRAL position. It’s a dangerous state to shop in.

When you shop in this kind of foggy, tuned out way, you end up purchasing more than you need, going over your budget, and buying things that don’t work for your wardrobe, your body, your lifestyle or your personality.

[tweetthis]Shopping on autopilot is a recipe for disaster. [/tweetthis]

It can hurt you financially, psychologically and emotionally.

Shopping can be a healthy and fun pastime. But for many of us, it’s become our only pastime. It’s become our default position, the first thing that comes to mind when we’re casting around for what to do and where to go.

Not sure what to do? Let’s go shopping! Not sure where to meet up? Let’s meet at the mall! This isn’t a way to live your life – that’s a way to spend your life. And your life is simply too important.

Related:  How To Be A Conscious Shopper This Holiday Season 

So to make sure you’re consciously shopping this holiday season make sure you do the following BEFORE you head out the door:

1. Make a list of exactly who you’re going to be purchasing for. You can use my Holiday Budgeting Tools 

2. Know exactly how much you’re willing to spend on each person. Make sure the total doesn’t go over your overall holiday budget.

3. Don’t forget to budget for things like food, wrapping paper, cards, decorations to name a few. Develop a budget for those items and stick to the budget or better yet find a deal that is under budget.

4. Consider home-made gifts whenever possible to help keep your budget as small and as reasonable as possible.

5. Make sure you bring your coupons with you to maximize the savings.

Before you stop the car and get out, or wander into a store:  Stop. Pause. Just take a few moments to clarify in your mind that you are, in fact, making a decision to shop. And if you find yourself in the middle of a store and can’t quite recall making the decision to be there – leave. And repeat the above steps of pausing and taking a few moments to regroup.

Go back to your list and get clear about who you are shopping for and what you’re looking to buy within your price range.

You can be a conscious shopper this holiday season!

Related:  How To Create A Christmas Budget That Will Keep You Out Of Debt