Plastic money (or better known as credit card), loneliness, and advertising – that’s a dangerous mixture, owing to more and more people falling straight into shopping ecstasy – also here in the Philippines.
It’s weekend again, the sunbeam touches us, we’re dressed in our weekend’s best, right after the mass we are on the way to a shopping mall. Yes, they’re really tempting us by their offers. The credit cards glow; we’re all right for the money!
We don’t have decent clothes any more! Really? Our shoes make us a laughing-stock. Top stylish or even the latest fashion for a few Philippine Pesos, sure, we can afford it!
Women especially (really?) arrange to meet very often for substantial shopping sprees. If they are any men among my readers, pleaselet me know.
It’s just fun, but sometimes it becomes already a competition: Who gets hold of the most stylish and best special offers? It’s paradoxical; actually they are not able to afford it. In spite of their strained financial situation many people do unnecessary free-living shopping.
They feel happy, contented, satisfied, and relaxed.
Is shopping a substitutive or vicarious satisfaction because of less love and care? Yes, for a short moment shopping satisfies and eases mostly unfulfilled longings for love, appreciations, receiving attention and affection. How comes, that I met many Filipinas, married to ex pats, living in the Philippines, told me this???
One things is very clear: the shopping ecstasy will be followed by a happiness-intoxication. the new dress becomes a four-leaf clover and lucky break. But, we became addicted… .
Disastrous, unlucky and awkward in shopping is that the special offers are not really needed. That’s the point: it’s just the kick-down, which can be felt while shopping of useless things. Clothes, shoes, jewelyries, or cosmetics will be used once or once in a while, they will be cleared or concealed and hidden from other people. Our conscience is pricking us. Depression follows; an empty inwardness causes pain – up to the next ecstasy.
It’s a dangerous vicious circle, which can bring us to a financial precipice. For a long time experts have warned: “The limits between pleasure, desire, frustration, and ecstasy shopping are fluent and fluid.”
The incredible Americans invented even a medicine against the so-called “shopaholics” (New York Times, June 13, 2004).
I wish you a great weekend. Enjoy your stay in a mall.
About Klaus
Hi Klaus,
Credit card debt is a major problem in the US these days. As a young man I too succumbed to the buy now and pay later hell, fortunately I now have more self control and save up for whatever I am salivating over. The stores do make it hard to keep on my budget with their constant bombardment of advertisements. I continue to enjoy your blog and hope to meet up with you in Davao one day.
Kind regards,
Richard
Hi Richardfrom GA, thanks for stopping by and leaving this comment. Yup, it also happened to me before in Germany, but I got quick self-control and was able to ignore such “bombardments”. Thanks for enjoying my blog. Sure, let me/us know early enough if you are in Davao.
Hi Klaus – I think it’s really a woman nature to shop, but got to have self control though. Thats one thing here in the Philippines the plastic is not common for all. Its always pay cash.
I think if you pay the plastic here in the Philippines you would be paying a lot for the interest plus annual fee. Just better save and buy when can afford then.
Hi Feyma, thanks for stopping by. Yeah, maybe you are right. Yup, buy when you can afford it = that’s it…