BellaOnline Forums Family Siblings Materialism - reducing shopping to reduce stress

I want to challenge you to stop shopping for one month and spend more time at home with your family.

Take a moment to read my article - Reduce Stress and Build a Happy Family

Do you think shopping will reduce stress in your life, why or why not?

I plan on not shopping for one month single choice
	yes
	no
Votes accepted starting: 04/23/06 09:24 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

I think shopping increases stress single choice
	yes
	no
Votes accepted starting: 04/23/06 09:24 PM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Shopping gets me very stressed and sometimes quite riled*. Those young men that you used to get in Mr Byrites could be quite cheeky when I payed my monthly visit to buy underpants and socks. I beleive it was my pirate outfit that caused most mirth with these young gentlemen, but, as my mother always used to say "good manners cost nothing"** which is completely true! How often do you go into a shop and ask for a kilo of good manners? You can't! They don't cost anything, so what she said was completely brilliant! Anyway, forget all that, what were we talking about? Oh yes, I agree, it's much less stressful to stay at home and never go shopping (or outside) at all. I'm currently on my 4th year with these undergarments, so anything's possible.

* upset, or a little hot under the collar
** that's true that is

You bring up a good point, negative attitudes of other people. When you are around a lot of stressed out people you will become stressed out. Most of the time people in malls are tired and can't be bothered to be polite and that in itself can cause you to be negative and tired resulting in yelling at your kids.

Does anyone find that they enter a mall or store happy only to find they come out tired and irritated?

I'm always happy, but I do find that even my incredibly good nature can come under strain when I'm laughed at by kids on skateboards and chastised by old ladies when I'm at the mall. I've even stopped wearing the pirate outfit now (apart from the eyepatch. Oh, and the stuffed parrot) but they still give me trouble. I go in calm, but by the time I leave I'm ready to give them a ruddy good punch up the trousers!

Can I ask why you want to draw attention to yourself?

I "like" shopping--window shopping. I'm out and about, walking, taking in the scenery, chatting with new people. I've never found shopping as a stress inducer... well, okay, holiday shopping causes me stress. But generally its great. My kids love it too. They're both "people" people and like to watch the world go by.

Eccentrics do...Isn't he wonderful?

(From the greek, EKKENTROS' = meaning EK - distanced, or out, and KENTROS = Centre, or norm.)

What do you mean? I always try and blend in, it's just that it's full of pirates round here. I stick out like a sore thumb now, in my sensible suit. The revolving bow tie was a touch of genius though.

The part of shopping that causes stress is when you focus on what you don't have, what you want and not what you have. When you spend more money then you have. When you work in order to be able to buy more stuff at the expense of spending quality time with your children. Shopping here and there to get out of the house when your home all the time is not what I am talking about.

Hey I think it's wonderful, he just seems to be upset about the reaction he gets.