When my sister and I were little we used to have this wonderful game we would play. Mom would let us look through the Sears Toy Catalog just for fun. We would start at the beginning of the catalog and look at each page. I would place my finger on the picture of a toy that I wanted and I would say “that one”. Then my sister would select an item that she wanted and say “that one.” We would turn to the next page and each select our favorite toy again. Page by page we would go through the toy catalog until we reached the end of it. It was a great game, provided us with hours of entertainment, and didn’t cost a dime. It taught us an important lesson too, and that is you can want something but you don’t have to buy it.

Now that I am all grown up, I still enjoy looking at things without buying them. There are many ways to do this now, especially with all the resources of the internet. You can enjoy the picking out of something you would like, without actually making the purchase. If I had problems with impulse spending, though, I would not tempt myself.

Here are some ways I get rid of the shopping urge without spending any money.

Sometimes I enjoy shopping online, where I put items in the shopping cart but don’t purchase them. This reminds me of the game my sister and I played. It is also a great way to check prices including shipping fees and taxes. Often, purchasing items online is not cheaper once the additional charges are factored in.

I’ve also put items on Ebay on a “watch list”. I’ve done this several times while shopping for clothing for the children. I don’t let myself get caught up in the bidding and I’ve also found that sometimes looking at items again (or even a third or fourth time) makes me realize that I don’t really want those after all.

It’s fun to browse furniture catalogs to get ideas for how to arrange a room and to maximize accessories. Many times I’ve been inspired by a particular room layout and it’s allowed me to get a fresh look in my own home by moving the furniture around. Great way to get some exercise and not spend anything at the same time.

Reading the sale ads on the weekend with no intent of actually purchasing any of the items. It’s fun to keep up with trends, see what products are new, and identify items that look like they are heading for the clearance aisle.

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