Confessions of an Online Shopping Addict

In my last post Resolutions for 23, I mentioned financial fitness as one of my primary goals during this year. And while I'm very much committed to saving and spending responsibly, I think I need to come clean about a problem I have. That problem is something I like to call online shopping.

Now maybe it's all of the time I spend on my computer at work reading blogs, I mean uh, working. Or maybe its my new(-ish) raise in income from my new job. Or maybe its that I need more excitement in life than getting packages in the mail (okay but who doesn't love that, really?). But whatever it is, I have developed a problem and its going to start getting expensive sooner than later. 

And I say this in the midst of a post-shopping experience that went like this (condensed version):

Okay, well I just got this gift card 3 hours ago, better just look at Old Navy to see what they have. You know, so I can go shopping later. 

High-waisted bikini bottoms? I need these. I'll look like I'm in The Notebook. Add to cart.

Yeah, I'll need the top, too. Add to cart.

Oh, but it only comes in the same pattern? I wanted red. Delete from cart.

Mouse scrolls over the shorts section.

Drapey shorts, yes those will be so much better than regular shorts. Add to cart.

Ew, that is not a flattering pattern. Delete from cart.

Thank god there's a black pair. Add to cart.

Maybe I'll just check out GAP and see if I like there stuff better.

Realizes that you can order from both on the same transaction.

Coral cut-off pocket tee, I'll look great in this with my new drapey shorts. Add to cart.

Coupon code for 25% off at GAP? Apply. ON coupon code for 30% off, too? Apply. Yes, free shipping! 

Checkout.

Ugh, still need a top for my bathing suit. Oh yeah, I had a 30% off + free shipping code from BareNecessities, they'll have much better fitting tops. Ah, and this one matches perfectly! Add to cart. Checkout.

Did I need a bathing suit? No, not really. I have one, maybe two already and there's no pool that I frequent enough to warrant needing another. My logic? I'm moving soon. Into an apartment that may or may not have a pool. I don't know yet, because I haven't found the apartment yet. Add to that my purchase last week which was an Australian coffee bath scrub (review soon to come) and my logic behind that buy was "this'll be great for a blog post". 

While I'm not spending mass amounts of money on things that I won't ever use and I'm only spending what I have after bills, I know that I should find a way to curb my addiction to the online shopping world. Somebody please tell me I'm not the only one who has an issue with this...anybody?

P.S. My orders will be here in 10 days time, and I'll be freshly scrubbed clean with all that coffee. 

-J

Resolutions for 23

   With Spring finally deciding to make an appearance (hopefully it'll be sticking around), as well as my birthday last week, I wanted to do a little spring cleaning of my life to kick off the beginning of my 23rd year. The reason behind it being that this birthday really caused me to self-reflect...okay there was a little panic as the last hours of 22 ticked by and I realized that I was quickly nearing that quarter century mark, but I digress...

   It's a little late in the calendar year for resolutions but when the mood strikes, you've got to seize it. Here are my revelations and resolutions for 23.

Financial Fitness. 

     This year I'm getting on track with my finances. 

    In an effort to raise my credit score and lower my debt I have become a master budgeter when it comes to my bank account and credit cards. By this time next year I intend to pay off $6500 in student loan debt and to put at least $7200 into my savings. My bills are getting paid, I'm saving a nice percentage of each paycheck and I still have enough spending money to keep me and my social life happy.

Acting, not Waiting.
     I had worried that my wanderlust might have faded, that I was content with situating myself in front of travel blogs and letting other people's experiences be enough for me. My self-reflection, both pre- and post-birthday, left me questioning who I was becoming as a person and I realized that what I lacked was commitment to a cause. The cause being to expand my horizons and see the world.
    My second resolution of 23 is to finally act on the itineraries that I continuously plan for myself. Trips to Thailand and Cambodia to work on elephant reserves, to Rio for Carnivale, to Lappland to see the Northern Lights and to Kenya to experience a morning game ride on safari. All of these are things that I've planned intricately out over just the past month. During this year, I will leave American soil (or at least have purchased plane tickets to do so) and my wanderlust will surely be renewed.

Happiness.
     Surely this doesn't need an explanation. Happiness is something that should be on everyone's resolutions list. Striving to be happy about the life that you're living, worrying less, caring and laughing more. If I'm to accomplish only one of my resolutions for the year, this is the one I hope it is. Need I say more?

Hopefully this post didn't bore you to tears and I'd love to hear what you think about these resolutions and about any of your own!

Until then,
-J