Tuesday 24 January 2012

....And then there was a grown up decision.

And then there was a grown up decision
Oh what a truly atrocious Monday,the details of which I will spare you, partly because they’re the same as most other Mondays, and partly due to the horrors of reliving my worst day of the week.
Papa Dodd told me that I have turned this into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Apparently if I believe it will be a good day then the chance of it being one, is much higher than not believing. Hmmm, I remain sceptical. But, I shall try. Watch this space.
So after this particular Monday, I decided to take myself shopping. I have little/no money this month but it seemed like a good idea at 5 o’clock as I was leaving work. I thought a meander around the shops might lift my mood. Usually it does.
I walked into one store, a store that I have always considered to be reasonably priced. This store shares its origins with a famous flat pack furniture company – another competitively priced store. It seems the Swede’s are connoisseurs of middle market merchandise. However, on this occasion, this clothing store let me down.
I have never thought it’s range expensive until I picked up a “wool” (probably acrylic, judging by its itchy-ness rating) jumper, threaded with a cream ribbon design – but ultimately just a jumper, and scoffed at the price tag. Yes my friends, scoffed. That awful noise that means I’m poor. Scoffing happens when you literally can’t spend the money or …can’t justify the spending of the funds.
£30.00? You want £30.00 of my money for this?
I say want but actually shops are more of an “invitation to treat”, there isn’t a contract until you hand over your cash. So technically speaking they weren’t making me spend anything. They can’t demand my money solely on the fact that I lifted the jumper off the rails.
Since there wasn’t a sales assistant holding a gun to my head, I had three options:-
1)      Put the jumper down and leave.
2)      Take the jumper to the till, pay and then return it three days later when the realisation of such an unnecessary purchase sets in
3)      Take the jumper to the till, pay and be happy.
Now, I know myself well enough that judging by the mood I was in, 3) was very unlikely. 2) was slightly more likely but involved the hassle of driving, parking, walking, returning, walking, reversing, driving.
So I surprised myself. I replaced the jumper (in the right space I hasten to add) and left.
I did this in a number of other stores….
“Do I really like  this enough to spend my pennies?”
“Will I actually wear this again?”
“What do I have to wear this with?”
“Why have I just picked this up?”
“I’m most definitely not a size 6 so put the shoe down.”

It was the most serious shopping trip I have ever had.
I returned home with a pair of tights.

Me, three months ago: “Hello, my name is Amy Dodd and I have a shopping addiction.”
You know when you’re turned a corner with your shopping habits when you walk out empty handed.
Me, now: “Hello, my name is Amy Dodd and I have a little bit less of a shopping addiction but it’s still pretty bad.”
…Before I get up on my high horse and start preaching to the masses about my changed ways, I think I should admit something.
Earlier that day I had made a charge to my Mastercard.
I made a charge to my Mastercard for a skirt.
A skirt* that I desperately needed** for a conference later this week.
A conference that starts tomorrow. (So I paid express delivery)
*[I say ‘A skirt’ – really it was the same skirt twice. One in each in two sizes, hoping that one might fit.]
**[I say ‘needed’, it’s not like I don’t have anything else to wear. But I saw it in The Sunday Times ‘Style’ magazine and knew that it would be fabulous.]

I think I have a long way to go until I can claim to be cured. At least I was grown up enough to know not to spend any more money.
But a real grown up would never have gone to the shops in the first place.