Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques

Archive for the ‘Shopping Stress’ Category

Like a shot, it was out the door to the mall to buy some much-needed office togs on mega-sale. Talbot’s, my favorite vendor of grownup-appropriate clothing, provided two pairs of washable wool slacks – 40-freaking-PERCENT off! – plus a beautifully designed blouse and a very snazzy blazer at the same markdown. Chico’s sold me a very pretty gray sweater (also washable) at half price to go with the dressy gray Talbot’s slacks, and of course no trip to the Biltmore is complete without a stop at the Apple store. . . .

So smug do I feel about these little coups that I presume to offer my pointers for saving dough at the mall:

1. Shop the sales around major holidays, especially the post-Christmas season. Never pay full price for anything.

2. Reconnoitre your wardrobe before leaving the house. Have a clear idea of what items you need and in what colors. If more than two or three items are needed, make a list. Shop only for those things; don’t spend time window-shopping or browsing through racks of tempting but irrelevant items.

3. Go straight to stores where you have had success before. Avoid departments or shops whose clothes don’t fit well or aren’t your style, and stay away from stores where staff have been rude, pushy, or inattentive in the past.

4. Never shop when you’re feeling especially cheerful or blue; either cast of mind can lead you to overspend.

5. Shop alone. Shopping is a herd activity – you may find yourself buying things for no other reason than that your friend bought something.

6. If it fits and you really like it, get it. If it doesn’t quite fit right or you’re not so sure it’s the most gorgeous thing you’ve ever wrapped around your body, leave it.

7. Learn to embroider and appliqué. With a needle and some colored thread, you can make a $20 pair of Glorias from Costco look like a $200 pair of designer jeans.

How do you feel about shopping for clothes, and what do you do to minimize shopping angst? What are your strategies for getting the best value for your clothing dollars?

Introduction

Online shopping has become more convenient these days due to the fact that anything and everything can be purchased on the internet. Particularly websites such as eBay and Amazon

There are advantages to online shopping:

1.Convenient! You don’t leave your house!
2.Often there are sales, discounts, or promotional codes
3.Can complete at your own pace
4.Shipping eliminates the almost insurmountable task of hunting down the items, carrying a load of goodies to the car, out of the car, and into the house!

Obviously, there are disadvantages that can come along with online shopping:

1.Tedious: the window shopping to find a specific item may NOT be as easy as meandering through the mall
2.May seem harder to find exact options you are looking for
3.Don’t get the “in person” experience of seeing the item you are purchasing
4.Shipping can be expensive

One thing Canadians (and probably everyone else outside the US) have to consider the duty fees, which can totally eliminate any savings on the actual purchase price and/or shipping for items purchased from a US site.

How to stay safe

1. Always check out from whom or where you are buying from when online shopping. If it is a company, make sure they are registered and legitimate. For example, have they provided an address and contact number. eBay makes this easier with the help of feedback profiles for all buyers and sellers. You can find out whether you are buying from a trusted seller according to the amount of positive feedback they have. In other cases, read reviews provided by previous customers.

2. Be sceptical when you pay for items. If the website uses secure technology (a padlock icon will appear next to your address bar once you proceed to check out) then it is more likely for your credit card information to be safe.

3. Read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before finalising an order. This is important in order to establish whether your information (such as your address) will be shared with a third party or not. In most cases you will be able to tick a box, when registering or ordering, saying you do not want this to occur.

4. If you are using a shared computer, use a different password.

5. Paypal is a safer payment option when buying online because it avoids sharing vital information such as bank account details. Money can be claimed back with Paypal, should there be problems or non-receipt of items. If the page does not accept Paypal, pay by credit card because like Paypal, investigating problems is easier.

6. Check the shipping terms and conditions. Keep a track on the shipping status. Don’t let it slip.

Reducing Shopping Stress

Once you have your spreadsheet, reduce your stress even more with these easy tips.

1) Do all of your browsing and shopping online. This eliminates the frustration and stress of the busy holiday malls, and will cut down on the likelihood of impulse purchases made just because you were sick of shopping and had to get something.

2) Avoid the crowds by avoiding the weekend shopping days. Go during lunch breaks and the evenings during weekdays, when stores are less crowded. For each shopping trip, have one or two items and goals in mind, so that you do not become overwhelmed by the need to get every gift on your list at once.

3) Get a gift receipt for every gift, and take advantage of stores that will box or giftwrap for you. This will save you time, and in case it is not the right gift, your loved ones will appreciate the opportunity to get something else.

Remember, the holidays are about sharing time with the ones you love. Organizing your shopping list priorities will help you to keep on track and overcome the stressful times. Enjoy the weeks ahead!