Why I’m Giving Up Online Shopping for Lent

So lent started last week, and the only thing I gave up was giving unsolicited advice. An awesome pursuit, as I can become a better listener and mind my own business. Except, my boyfriend said, “why don’t you give up something hard?”  I hadn’t really thought about it much until I went to Amazon.com yesterday to look for a canvas tote bag.  And that’s when it hit me. I’m going to give up online shopping. I think I have a borderline addiction.  It started a few years ago when I didn’t have a car and I needed to furnish my apartment. Or if I needed to buy something really large and heavy and didn’t have anyone to help me pick it up and carry it to my apartment.

UPS is good at transporting and delivering items for me. Amazon Prime is amazing. I have free two day shipping, but it’s become more of  problem than something that helps me. Because as I look around my apartment, I see that almost everything I own was purchased online.  Nowadays, I buy things online for one of these two reasons: #1) I don’t feel like dealing with the world (which means Miami traffic/people/a gazillion stores); or #2) Amazon has a better selection and it’s cheaper.  But what I’ve come to realize, is that the quality of the items I purchase cant be inspected through a computer screen. Furthermore, I’m less likely to purchase something or spend money on something if I go to the store and look at it– more than often than not, I don’t like the item.

Benefits of Giving up online shopping for Lent:

1. I’ll learn patience: waiting until items go on sale, waiting in line, waiting to find the perfect item.
2. I’ll  spend less, because I know sure as heck I’m not going to feel like going out to the store. And I’ll  think twice about buying things IF the only way I can get them is by going out.
3. I’ll be more aware of what I’m spending: for some reason when I buy online it hardly feels like I’m spending money. Money disappears faster than I realize.
4. I won’t buy crap I’m not going to use.
5. Any spring cleaning I do won’t be wasted- I won’t be filling my house with anymore crap from Amazon.