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Detroit Free Press Georgea Kovanis column: Shop smarter for more fun at less cost
Jan 03, 2010 (Detroit Free Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
When it comes to New Year's resolutions, it's healthy and noble to give up smoking or eating desserts or wearing sweatpants in public.
But there is no need to give up shopping -- even in this awful economy.
To do so would be counterproductive, since, according to a survey by Franklin Covey, the maker of calendars, one-third of Americans break their new year's resolutions within a month and only 25% make it past three months.
Besides, a shopper who resolves to stop shopping is the same as an athlete resolving to give up her favorite sport. Unless she is risking injury -- to her person or her finances -- giving up something that provides such joy makes no sense.
All a shopper needs to do is make a few adjustments.
Some advice:
--Don't buy anything you can't afford. Using credit cards isn't a bad thing -- many come with reward points and extra discounts. The problem? Carrying a balance and accumulating finance charges.
--Clip coupons and keep track of them. Donna Prisciandaro, 52, of Clawson keeps her Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons in a special folder; that way, she always knows where to find them. "I won't shop there unless I have a 20% off coupon," she says.
--Use coupons wisely. An extra 20% off is great; but if you're buying something you don't need just because it's on sale, you're wasting money. And that means you'll have less to spend when you see something you really want.
--Don't buy anything that doesn't fit. The odds of losing enough weight to fit your size 12 body into a size 8 dress are not good.
--Be open to shopping at new places.
Last year, Andrea Ramus, 55, of Troy discovered the Salvation Army.
"I have to wear nice clothes to work, and I find that I just cannot afford to go into the department stores, Macy's, even Kohl's, and buy work clothes and make do and pay all the rest of the bills."
Her resolution for 2010? To shop there even more.
"You can still treat yourself to something," she says. Sometimes you just say, "I deserve something but you don't have to spend a bunch of money."
--Know when you have too much. Kathryn Schropp, 33, of Trenton says her 2010 shopping resolution is to buy less. "One thing I really enjoy doing is to go shopping and to find good deals," she says. But, "I'm running out of space in my bedroom and my closet. Most importantly, I don't need any more."
Other ideas that will keep you from being featured in an episode of "Hoarders": Go through your closet and give away or sell everything you don't wear or don't need. That way, someone will get something new to them, and you can buy something new with a clean conscience.
And realize that no matter how low the price, no one needs 40 rolls of wrapping paper or hundreds of ornaments.
Trust me on this.
Contact GEORGEA KOVANIS: 313-222-6842 or gkovanis@freepress.com
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