How I End Up Shopping... A lot

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            I like to shop. Like, a lot. Stereotypical? Yes. Frivolous? A little. But I have an excuse! Advertisements. And sales. Sales are my downfall. This isn’t to say I spend inordinate amounts of money – I don’t. I’ve always been a smart shopper; I know how to budget my money well and how to stretch it to get the most possible. But I also end up buying more and spending more than I anticipated. I blame this almost entirely upon the advertisements that draw me in to spend, spend, spend. (I definitely have to put some blame upon my self). My email is constantly bombarded with promises of “Buy One Get One,” “50% Off,” and “Free Shipping on Orders over $50!” And more times than I would like to admit, I am drawn in. I click the email, and am instantly bombarded with pictures of smiling, happy, beautiful people and bright letters announcing sales. I know what advertisers do. I know they want me to feel as if I like and know those people, like I want to be like them and dress like them. I know they are preying upon human nature to make a sale. I’m not an uninformed consumer; I know these things. And yet, it still works. Advertising has great power over us, whether we recognize it or not. We see products displayed in the best, brightest ways possible. It is easy to become convinced that our lives would be easier or better if we only had that new phone, or that cool shirt. 

American Eagle Jeans Ad

screenshot from my email

And it’s easy to buy today too – it’s literally a few clicks away on the Internet, or a five minute walk to downtown State College (or a quick drive to the mall). Advertising has become even more effective merely because of convenience. It’s so easy to get the idea into our heads that we want something, and then from there it’s just a swipe of the debit or credit card. I realize its necessary to be wary of the effect of advertisements. On the other hand, I realize there are numerous ways to be smart consumers, who don’t throw money away on things they don’t really need. Finding a balance between reckless spending and frugality is key. Advertisements with sales promoted can be both a weapon against you, to cause you to overspend, and alternatively, a benefit, to save you money. It just depends whether you’ll be sucked into the alluring rhetoric of advertisements, or if you shop smartly (and still hopefully get that item you’ve had your eye on)!