by Isabel Lee
The suffix –aholic is used to describe somebody who cannot stop doing or taking something, as in workaholic, bookaholic, chocoholic, etc. Shopaholic means somebody who likes to shop, maybe a little too much. But while you are proud of your own financial management and judge others for spending unwisely, have you ever thought that you might be a shopaholic, too, just maybe not as extreme as a compulsive shopper? Do you find your closet overflowing with never-worn clothes with the price tags still on them? Or is your fridge stuffed with foods and snacks that you are unlikely to consume before their expiration dates? Do you find your shelves are lined with smart-looking books but reading has never been your hobby? If so, you might be a shopaholic! It’s no doubt that the shopaholic gene can be found in most of us. We all overspend once in a while, therefore, in my opinion, being a shopaholic is not a bad thing as long as you don’t cross the line. As a matter of fact, shopping does bring us moments of happiness. We feel uplifted when wandering around our favorite shopping malls or supermarkets. We feel great when getting a good bargain or buying crazily at big sales because we feel like we are actually “making money.” However, if you spend beyond your budget and are addicted to shopping, you may be a compulsive shopper. Unlike shopaholics in general, compulsive shoppers buy things because they think that they need them. They seek temporary relief by spending on things that they don’t need. So how do compulsive shoppers differ from you? Compulsive shoppers do not buy one pair of shoes at a time, but five pairs with merely slight differences. Moreover, it isn’t just confined to tangible products. Some may go to the beauty salon to get their nails done five times a week. These people depend largely on shopping to fulfill their emotional needs and are unable to curb their rush to shop. Even though they know their wardrobe is full, they will tell themselves “well, maybe I need this shirt or that one will come in handy someday.” They make a lot of excuses to convince themselves that they are making the right decisions to lessen their feelings of guilt. And often, not until a pile of credit-card bills come to their door and their bank accounts are overdrawn do they realize their disorder. Men and women have equal chances to be shopaholics. One interesting thing is the difference between the buying behavior of men and women. One obvious difference is the things they buy. Women seem born to buy clothes, jewelry, cosmetics and everything relating to their appearance, while men tend to buy electronic products, computer hardware, and everything that can keep up with the modern world. Another difference is their sensitivity to prices. Certainly both men and women care about price, but men are less likely to ask for discounts because they might think they lose face if they do so. On the contrary, women perpetually compare prices and make bargains at every turn. For them, the most glorious moment is a successful bargain, and the most exciting time of year is their favorite anniversary sale. But no matter which gender we belong to, we all know we get an adrenaline rush walking into a store or mall from time to time. As long as we are sensible enough and do not let ourselves indulge too much in shopping, sometimes being a shopaholic can be real fun! a
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
|