I am concentrating on the last choice because it is the activity that I find myself resorting to most. For those readers who find themselves in a similar dilemma, I am writing down several tips on how to get through the shopping madness as painlessly and inexpensively as you can.
• Take deep breaths. Like any period of anxiety, the urge to do something self-indulgent is great. Know that at this moment you are emotionally susceptible and prone to being impulsive. Slow, deep breaths lower anxiety levels enough for you to think in a near sane level. I would recommend practising this step throughout your shopping journey.
• Avoid caffeine and sugar. These two substances can make you jumpy and slightly neurotic. They make your heart race, further increase your anxiety and can even throw you into a rage. I remember taking so much caffeine I started picking fights in elevators! Please, avoid any form of caffeine and sugar (yes, now is the time to avoid chocolates, believe it or not!) unless you are willing to come home with a truckload of high-ticket items that you originally had no intention of buying.
• Leave your credit and ATM cards at home. Do not tempt fate! If you just keep your purchasing medium in a cash basis you are not likely to spend too much in the midst of a wild moment. Doing away with your ATM card will also prohibit you from acquiring more cash. Fix an amount that you are willing to splurge away before you leave for the mall, bazaar or market.
That way, if you come home without a cent left, you won’t feel guilty about it later on.
• SM truly has it all for you! Unless you live near Divisoria, I would recommend that you head down to your nearest SM department store. If you know of a mall other than SM that can offer you the same prices, then by all means head for that place! Prices are almost as cheap as Divisoria and you can spend hours picking up items that will not break the bank. Women experiencing shopping madness are not particularly interested in a few high quality items. They are interested in quantity. As for me, after buying four pairs of sandals, eight assorted beauty products and nine sets of denim/cotton twill shorts (it is summer you know), I head off to SM’s The Surplus Shop where I gorge myself in spaghetti-strap cotton knit tops and gym pants. The store’s Home Furnishings and supply area is a treasure trove of inexpensive pots, pans and exciting gimmickry. (I actually bought two of those soap canisters that transform soap bars into liquid soap! They work, too!)
• Know what you need way ahead of time. White knit tops are my mantra for the summer so in a day of shopping madness, if I come home with 20 pieces of white summer knits (spaghetti straps, broad straps, bateau, short sleeve, ribbed, etc.), I will be fine. If in an absolute episode of insanity, you do not even care to fit the clothes, memorize your measurements or dress size.
By this time I assume you are slowly approaching sanity. Now continue taking deep breaths and do this itsy-bitsy thing for yourself. Pass by the nearest grocery store and buy packs of crackers and juice. Once you reach the parking area (or the nearest traffic stop) distribute the crackers and juice to every street child you see. (I know that we are asked not to do this as the act encourages them to continue living on the streets but today this magnanimous act is ironically for you, not for them!) In your near-sane state you will feel a pang of guilt for having been so restless in the first place. You will begin to realize how truly lucky you are. You will start to feel good about feeding the children for the afternoon (it was food for the kids’ tummies, not money for the syndicates after all!). And hopefully, with this masterstroke, the madness will cease. You will be finally at peace – until the next bout of shopping madness.