The Realization I Spend My Money on Something I Don’t Need (Thank You Quarantine)

I recently had a wake up call about my spending habits. After trying to find new things I need and will use, I realized I have a large bill to pay. After looking at what I bought, and the quality of those items, I was sorely dissatisfied with them and wondered why I even thought I’d like, let alone need, those things.

Recently, I saw on TV someone talk about spending habits during the pandemic. According to the person on TV, the spending habits of people who consume media that updates someone on the pandemic changes and they start to panic buy.

This is true, and I’ve suffered those panic buying shopping sprees, but that’s not the problem with my current shopping problems. The problem is I couldn’t see the items in person or in store to see if it is something I want.I don’t know how many people need to see something and feel it to make sure if it is something they want to spend their money on, but I sure am. I’m pick about my produce. I need to look at it and feel it in my hands or else I’m not buying it. This is why I don’t place orders online for produce and pick them up. I’m like this with nearly everything I buy, but because nobody is supposed to touch things as much as they used to, I now have trouble buying things I want and need.

All the purchases that cost me a lot of money are online orders. Since I couldn’t feel or see what I would buy in person, I couldn’t see the true scale of the items or what kind of fabric the item is made out of. This is why it takes me a while to clothing shop. I want to know what kind of fabric everything is made out of, how it should be washed, and how thick the fabric is in comparison to it’s price. I think the reason why I’m super picky about clothing is due to my sewing hobby, but when I shop online for clothing, I feel like I’m gambling with my money.

The gambling didn’t pay off and I would love to return everything I purchased. Unfortunately, some of the store I ordered from still have their physical stores closed or the physical stores that are closest to me are permanently closed as a downsizing of the brand. So, now I’m stuck with things I don’t need or want with no way of returning them.

Although there are more important things happening right now besides my failed attempt for in person returns, it is very disheartening and frustrating. I don’t know what to do now. Recently, the stores I ordered from allow free online returns, but I’m still hesitant to buy from them now because I don’t know how fast those returns will be accepted and credit my account. The only thing I can think of doing is buy from stores I frequent because they have in store shopping and/or because their return policies are much better than other stores I used to normally shop at.