Opening the Floodgates . . .

I am a dangerous shopper. I am. I am terrible. That impulse purchase bin by the checkout? I have a sneaking suspicion that when the marketers came up with that, they were thinking of me. And here's why - once I have decided to go through the effort of purchasing something in a store - of taking something up to the register and pulling out the old credit card - the floodgates are wide open. What's one more item on the pile? I can't tell you the number of earrings, headbands, necklaces, and hair ties that I acquired from the impulse bin that simply sit in a drawer, hoping against hope that they will one day see the outside of my bedroom.

I have also opened up the floodgates when it comes to the more designer items. Case in point: I remember buying my first Coach purse. Granted, Coach is not top of the line as far as designer bags are concerned. But at a guaranteed $100+ per bag, Coach is nothing to sneer at. I used to be quite content with my Nine West and XOXO purses. Sadly, those days are over. Even though I swore when I bought the first Coach purse, "it will just be this one time," it wasn't. Once I started getting into the more expensive bags, I just couldn't go back. What is wrong with me? It's just a purse!

Is there hope for me? I sure hope so. Right now my only saving grace is that I am absolutely capable of walking out of a store with nothing. I do it quite often. If I keep those floodgates closed, I am home free. I need to remind myself of those times. I need to remember that for everything I bring home, I have to find a place to put it. That should be disincentive enough.