Shopping
Filed in: Accessories, Fashion, Secondhand, Shopping
Since I was a kid I was pretty good at money. I never spent money on more than what I really needed or wanted, and the rest was put in the piggy bank. And I had quite a few tricks up my sleeve to hustle my little sisters for their savings. I´ve always been in control, never really broke. Lately things seem to be changing. I think getting a job has put me into a different mindset, like I can´t really spend too much, like there will always come in more. For some reason that is impossible for me to understand, just a few days after receiving my paycheck, I´m already nearly out. I am still reasonable enough to put aside money for food, rent and all of that, so it´s no crisis, I just don´t get why I´m not in control like I used to be. Anyway, I was quite pleased with the fact that it´s Easter and all the shops are closed over here. It would put a stop on my spending. But then there´s today, the only day when shops are open, at least for a little while. I deliberately only went to secondhand shops, and picked up…
…a men´s vest. I wanted an oversized since the fall of 2006, but never really got to it.
I also got what must be a fake Dior umbrella. It´s very old which speaks against it being fake, but I assume authentic Dior umbrellas are of better quality, even though this one does have a nice wooden handle. It was only $2, so I didn´t even bother to consider the fact that when it is raining, I am too lazy to carry an umbrella anyway.
At last there was this floral shirt. I have a hard time finding floral garments I like and I´ve wanted a shirt like this to wear with shorts, so I just couldn´t leave it behind. It looks like it was home made, no tags and the seams are far from perfect.
However, the point of this post is that there´s still eBay. All the shops are closed but I have of course placed a bid on a pair of ridiculously expensive boots on eBay. Today´s purchases may not have cost much but if I win those shoes I am in trouble. I am going to Stockholm in April, to Copenhagen in May, to Berlin and Paris in August, I really need to save some money. In a weak moment though, I figured that if I should be too broke to be able to do any shopping in Stockholm, at least I could walk around in a pair of fabulous boots. Who knows, I might lose the auction, I´ll leave that one up to faith.
Leave a Comment or Trackback
21 Comments
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I know how you feel. I have no idea if this will work for you, but it works for thinks like sweets, which I know is nothing like money, but anyway: maybe you can try putting your money away in a box (maybe a safe?) and keep it in a hard to reach place. You just don’t think of it as much after a while, you kind of forget about it until you get money again and then you can add it to your box. And if you get the urge to take the money out, you have time to think it through because it’s in a hard to reach spot. Seems kind of silly, but maybe it’s worth a shot? :P
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
There isn’t point of no return, you can always cancel your bid.But if these boots are as fabulous as you say, well If were in your shoes [pun not intended] I wouldn’t do it;)
March 22nd, 2008 at 8:31 pm
I definetely know where you’re coming from Agathe. These days I should be saving up money for furniture as my boyfriend and I have just bought a flat in Oslo. However, I feel doing the opposite, spending all my money on a new spring wardrobe.
I had the same idea as you, hoping that Easter holidays would help me cut back a little. That, and the fact that I’m spending the break in Måløy limits the amount of shops you can actually find something decent. But unfortunately, the Internet connection is as good here as it is in Oslo…where vintage hunting is a must activity.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:10 pm
What a lovely umbrella.
I feel your pain. I tend to have the same, nowadays I don’t yet have any serious problems, but when I’ll move into the city I guess I will. With the shopping habit that I tend to have.
juliet xxx
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Hi Agathe! i been there myself, it`s so hard not to fall into temptation!!! but i know that with your creativity and the awsome outfits you have, you can turn your old stuff into great things for this season.
i think you should save for all your trips, for sure your going to find incredible things out there, it will be a shame to have a small budget at those amazing places you are visiting!
Let us know what fait wanted for you and those boots!
sorry for my english, i hope you understand me!!!
Saludos!!!
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
hehe… morro det der med søstre. Lillesøstre (slik som meg) har ikke sjangs til å spare en penny, så her går hele lønnen (-en smule til mat) med en eneste gang, en uke og de er borte vekk! men det har kansje noe med at jeg har en forskærlighet for litt smådyre base klær, og at jeg synes det er veldig vanskelig å finne kupp på second hand butikker… noen tips?
mens min store søster hadde og har alltid masse vis av penger.
men for å være ærlig tror jeg det har en hel del med at jeg brukker en lattelig stor prosent av mine penger på klær, simnke og hudprodukter…
but I like it!
hehe…
Ha en god påske! din blogg er like fin som altid, beundret av meg!
That’s fashion!
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
M, good idea, thanks!
Alyssa, we´ll se what happens. I´ve only made one bid, if someone outbids me, I´m out and then I guess it wasn´t meant to be.
Mel, the same thing happened with us and remodeling the bathroom. New shoes and a little fun and suddenly we couldn´t aford remodeling… :P
Juliet, living in the city is not good for the wallet in any way, except food is cheaper here! :)
Olivia, in Stockholm I hope to find things at the Cheap Monday and Moni stores, which are pretty affordable, so it might not be too bad.
Sunniva, med å shoppe secondhand tror jeg egentlig jeg bare kan si øvelse gjør mester. Det er vanskelig i begynnelsen, men så lærer man å se ting på en annen måte. Når det kommer til å lure penger fra søstre har jeg derimot en del tips. Blant annet brukte jeg å selge forundringspakker som inneholdt ting jeg hadde funnet i søppelbøtter. Ganske innbringende!
March 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Hey Agathe,
The thing is we need to do some renovating in the bedroom as well. I suppose I have to set aside some money for that.
I have (unfortunately) set my eyes on some lovely pieces from yesstyle.com.
Check them out and since I can only afford one of them, give me some feedback:
http://www.yesstyle.com/en/Product.aspx?pid=1010729783&
http://www.yesstyle.com/en/Product.aspx?pid=1010728825&
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
I struggle with this same problem myself. I go through phases, of course. It’s up and down. Just when I feel like I’m getting a handle on my obsessions, I get on Etsy, or eBay, and I feel like going nuts and buying everything in sight! And I feel lucky everyday to be so excited about strange clothes, and boots, and to have the luxury of being able to acquire almost anything I want….but…
Sometimes I feel like it’s crazy and unwise. But I just love so many different styles, and I feel like I’m discovering my unique self in a way.
And wearing the same thing as everyone else just seems so wrong. HA! So don’t worry. You’re not alone. ;)
I am certainly glad I’m not alone either, it sounds like a few gals (and guys) have the same vices as we do.
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:34 am
One thing that does work for me:
The “Little Grasshopper” Effect
shopping with my friends when the goal is to find them something can be quite satisfying. or even just helping them put-together outfits for occasions or even just for kicks is good too.
I’m not sure what kind of position you have with your friends when it comes to style advise, but living vicariously through other people’s closets and wallets may just tide you over….
March 23rd, 2008 at 2:13 am
Agathe,
I’ve been shopping at thrift stores all day. After a week of solid shopping, I feel like a kid who’s eaten too much Halloween candy. Last night I could barely sleep because. I kept waking up and thinking about clothes. It’s just gotten so out of hand lately. The worst thing is when I buy stuff and then realize I really don’t need this. What a wast of money, but I guess that is part of the learning process. From now on I’m not buying anything thrift unless it’s really special.
Amy
March 23rd, 2008 at 3:14 am
I know how it can get, but hey, apart from cancelling your bid, you can also re-sell them back, at least you’ll recover some of your money (if not all, or better, maybe more!). All the best!
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:21 am
Agathe,
You are only supposed to bid in the last few minutes on ebay! There’s no point putting a bid in early as it’s all about timing!
March 23rd, 2008 at 8:38 am
Kjole nummer to var helt nydelig etter min smak.
Jeg skjønner hva du mener om at pengene forsvinner… Av og til så føler jeg at jeg ikke aner hva jeg bruker pengene til…
Jeg lurte også på om du kunne linke til bloggen min?? Din blogg er i allefall fast lesestoff hos meg.
:D
March 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 am
i love the vintage “Dior” umbrella.
I really think it might be real.
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:06 am
Dear Agathe,
I’m notorious in spending money on clothes. As a child I always had very little pocket money and now, since I earn a bit now and then is 90% spent on clothes and accessoires. Friends of mine usally go on journeys far away with their money, but I feel like I wanna spend it on physical things, when I have so little. It will take several more years until my studies are finished and I can earn alot, until then I envy people with a real job. Most of us prefer buying a new fur coat, instead of food for a week. So my boyfriend got annoyed by me, buying nearly daily clothes (even more since I read your genius blog)- so he made me sing a contract: I am not allowed to by anything to dress for the next 3 months and if I do, he is gonna burn it in the backyard! lol
Why don’t you do such a brutal contract (witch a punishmen you would hate) for a short while?
Have a nice easter! Let’s go find eggs :)
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:07 am
Mel, they´re so different, it makes it kind of hard, but the Touraine..? I´m thinking it easier to style in different ways.
Earthkitten, I know, if I had only one style it would be a lot easier, I wouldn´t have to get everything!
Arpan, I used to do that with my husband, but he´s even worse than I am and never has any money!
Amy C, good rule! I try to live by that one myseld, but sometimes you make mistakes…
Lynn, I lost them! And it feels quite OK.
Amy C (same Amy C?), a good idea in theory, but first of all I am too eager to wait, secondly it ended in the middle of the night.
Maria, link kommer opp!
Soul Tanggg, I´ve never seen a real Dior umbrella so I really don´t know how they´re like…
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Ja, det er vel kansje det jeg må prøve på; øvelse gjør mester!
heheh… jeg skal ikke se bort i fra at store søsteren min gjorde det samme, eller hvertfall liknende… men jeg tror det er for sent å ta igjen. 21 år å gravid, tror ikke hun går på en sånn overraskelses pakke…
hehe…
March 23rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Or you could also do more DIY topic, your were always so much fun and we all need to save money :D
March 23rd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Agathe,
since I read your blog, I never spend more money than ever.. ;-)
March 24th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
i know what you’re talking about.
having my a-levels the last weeks i wasn’t able to go to the shops, but that didn’t stop me from spending money… i think i even spent more money on clothes than i usually do, as i found so many wonderful online shops during my breaks…