Everyone of you would agree that there are already thousands of great tips on smart shopping. Most of them consist on checking the material, the fit, if it pairs easily with what we already own, if it is versatile enough, if it can be layered, washable and lovable forever. But if you are anything like me, and let's be shamefully honest here, the "Aaaah"-s, "Woooow"-s and "Yaaaay"-s you say scream at the sight of a brand new item wins over all the above tips.
With real cool weather yet to come, but strong ability to imagine myself in fall clothes, this period I am really struggling not to buy stuff online. Maybe my empty credit card is helping more than my self control, but last night a genius idea hit me. Sorry to all you who might have been hit first, but I am so excited.
Except for tights, cardigans and other basic pieces I need to add or replace, every time my eyes sparkle to the sight of a piece, I will ask myself how many work hours is this piece's value.
For example, if it costs 72 $ it means I need to work approximately 36 hours to buy this (calculating the salary of 2$ per hour in my country - sometimes it's lower - I know, a whole other story).
Still worth it? Will it still be worth my 36 hours of work next season or next year?
Knits or plaids probably will, but Baroque trend and velvet mostly no.
So, to make it simpler, I would work 36 hours to buy a plaid shirt I'd wear every fall, but not for a midi velvet dress I will only wear 3-4 times this year and I am not sure if it can be still worn the next, no matter how beautiful it looks now.
Friends, I really hope this helps you. Do the math by your country's salary standards or better yet, your average income. Sometimes it might get shocking, but it is the reality.
Do you have any clever tips to share with me? Frankly, I'm so curious to see how you keep yourself under control with so many online shopping options. Currently I am limited to a handful of sites as most of them don't offer shipping to my country or it is expensive. And I still struggle. Huh!
Une bej gjithmon nje liste paraprake te veshjeve qe me duhen cdo stine. Nese nuk ben pjese ne liste nuk ja hedh syte, perjashto rastet kur kushtojne shume lire :)
ReplyDeleteMe duket logjike mjaft e mire. Edhe une e kam nje liste te shkruar ne konture te pergjithshme, por gjithmone perfundoj duke ma bere me sy gjera qe "duhet se s'ben ti kem se do me duhen" !!
DeleteI can't control myself when online shopping, I always want everything!
ReplyDeleteHahaha Jessica, I love your honesty :)
DeleteMe pelqen shume arsyetimi yt, edhe pse ndonjehere kur harroesh neper sitet e ndryshme me veshje, nuk ka matematike te te vije ne ndihme e te te mbledhe...vetem kur te vjen per te paguar ne fund ne banke mblidhet truri vete, por atehere eshte 2 late :P Gjithesesi une tashme jane bere disa vite qe ja kam marre doren mire frenimit te vetes, para tundimeve te tilla. Po tregohem e sinqerte, duke qene se ne Shqiperi asnjehere nuk ke asgje te sigurte dhe puna qe ti ke dhe qe duket se cdo gje shkon perfekte, neser krejt papritur mund te mos ta kesh me dhe te mbetesh ne mes te kater rrugeve dhe duke qene se familja ime nuk eshte aq e pasur sa ajo e Donald Trump, une kam vendosur te investoje ne gjera me te domosdoshme dhe me jetegjata se sa veshjet, kam blere nje shtepi, kam blere nje makine, te cilat me marrin gjysmen e rroges per te paguar kredine, apo me heqin mundesine per te blere gjithe rrobat qe shoh neper faqet online, por kur e mendoj them se ja ka vlejtur. Para disa vitesh, kur isha ende pak me e papjekur dhe kur prinderit e mi me sugjeron se investimi me i mire per veten time do te ishte nje shtepi, ne vend qe te blija rrecka, u merzita shume dhe ka patur momente qe e kam vuajtur. Por sot jam shume e lumtur per zgjedhjen time, sepse kam kursyer nga njera ana, por mendoj se kam fituar nje gje me te madhe. Gjithashtu se fundmi, nje menyre tjeter per te frenuar veten nga blerjet online, eshte qe cdo qindarke ta konvertoj ne parate qe do me duhen per te bere udhetimin e radhes. Une jam e cmendur pas udhetimeve (jam nje shigjetare 100%) dhe do te doja qe gjithe kohen ta kaloja me valixhe ne dore. Do kisha dashur te udhetoja shume me shume nga cfare kam bere deri me tani, gjithesesi keto tre vitet e fundit i kam vene nje "kusht" vetes, qe te beje te pakten 2-3 udhetime ne vit. Por kjo do te thote padyshim te kursesh dhe te privohesh per dicka tjeter dhe serish lapsi i ka rene rrobave (ose sic shprehet ime me leckace :P). Per Vit te Ri kam vendosur te shkoje ne Paris dhe kjo me bere qe te mblidhem shume gjate ketyre muajve, por per mua ja vlen :)
ReplyDeleteUhhhh sa gjate shkruajta, por kisha kohe qe do doja ta ndaja me dike kete kendveshtrimin tim dhe ti me ke dale ne shteg :P
Sa me behet qejfi qe te "paskam dale ne shteg" Aulona, se ndonjehere dyzohem ndaj vetes time, aq sa me vjen keq kur nuk blej ato qe me pelqejne, aq dhe inat marr qe varem nga gjera materiale. Me pelqen shume zgjedhja qe ke bere ne moshe kaq te re per te investuar ne shtepi e makine, duke konsideruar faktin qe shume njerez ne moshe me te madhe jetojne ende me prinderit ose me qera nga pamundesia. Kjo ideja e udhetimeve eshte nje nga me te fuqishmet dhe madje e kisha praktikuar pa e kuptuar. Prej disa javesh kam mbledhur disa leke te cilat sa here dua te shkoj t'i fus ne banke per t'i prishur online, me kujtohet qe do me duhen per udhetimin e radhes (qe per koincidence eshte ne France :D) dhe deri tani nuk jam tunduar t'i prish. Edhe une kam shume deshire te vizitoj vende dhe mendoj se ta mbushin zemren me lumturi e mendjen me me shume kujtime se cfaredo lloj gjeje materiale. Faleminderit shume qe ndave eksperiencen tende dhe pikepamjet e tua me mua :)
DeleteThat is a really clever way to see if you actually need something and understand the value to yourself! Thanks for the tip :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment Lana and thank you for stopping by. I used to read your blog a year back, but I lost track of it with my mac breakdown and I am so glad I found you again :)
DeleteImpressive and powerful suggestion by the author of this blog are really helpful to reduce our hack-tic life. My own views are matching with author and I have experienced such.
ReplyDeleteOnline Perfumes