I recently heard about Dubai Shopping Festival. From today, January 15th, until February 15th the festival will attract around 2 million visitors.
As I read the intro on the website, “Dubai is currently the hot place to shop, and the best time for shopaholics is during the huge, sprawling Dubai Shopping Festival. Reductions are offered across a vast range of must-haves…”, it hit me how much time and money I’ve spent on shopping while traveling.
Once I left Sweden after graduating, my weakness for shopping escalated — without me even being aware of how irresponsible I was to let my savings, money gifts, and earnings run through my fingers. During a two week’s stay in New York shortly after I turned 19, I had to buy a new suitcase before our departure because my new clothe didn’t fit in my old backpack.
Whenever I spent time in a new city — with friends or on my own — I found shopping very hard to resist, from streetwear stores in Grenoble and Les Galeries Lafayette in Paris, to Bahnhofsstrasse and Niederdorf’s clothing shops in Zurich, Rue du Marche in Geneva and Oxford Street in London. I can’t even remember any city I’ve visited without buying at least something.
I’m not proud to admit I was a shopaholic (i.e. a compulsive shopper who spends beyond his or her means and uses shopping as a way to feel better through temporary highs), but my phase of impulsive purchases taught me something. Even though I still love shopping, there’s way more to life than material possesions, and I much rather collect experiences than the latest jeans, dresses, or shoes. Whenever I’ve shopped during the last 15 months or so (hardly ever, excluding window shopping) I’ve made a conscious effort to think before buying. Do I really need another pair of shoes/jeans? Will I even wear this shirt/top/skirt more than once or twice? Can I afford it? Would I rather put my money on something else?
Choosing quality instead of quantity is better in the long run, and quality doesn’t necessarily equal expensive. It’s more about being conscious of how what you buy while traveling — clothes, shoes, furniture, art, handicrafts, or souvenirs — affect yourself, other people, and the environment.
Looking back I feel incredibly selfish for how much I’ve wasted, money I could have used to something better. My reckless spending is by far the biggest mistake I’ve done, but as an eternal optimist I can’t do anything else than believe there’s a reason for everything and that this is the best thing that could have happened. Somehow.
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This problem is hardly limited to women either, I’ve spent ridiculous amounts on ‘stuff’ when I’ve been away. Mostly because it’s been ‘cheap’, i.e. cheaper than at home.
Not necessarily because I’ve needed any of it…
But DSF(Dubai shopping Festival) is the time the entire Asia goes to shopping. The festival is one of its kind and has gained alot of importance with more and more people visiting the festival year after year.Well how can anyone just keep away from shopping when coming to DSF.
Hi Jack, That’s true. The difference is just what we’re spending our money on. And when things are cheaper than at home it’s so much harder to resist buying.
@India Route Map, Keeping away from it at DSF is not that easy. There’s nothing wrong with shopping – as long as it doesn’t go to extremes!
Dubai is just one place, Hong Kong on January 1st is another mecca for male and female’s particularly Koreans. They flock there to spend up largely on designer brands going for less than half price. Shopping to me is fun, but for some people especially women, they have made it an art form. In some Asian countries like Japan and Korea, around the holidays and sale season I would go further and call it one of their national sports.
Great post Erica.
Cate’s last blog post..The pressure has been building all week…..
@Cate, One of their national sports. Hahaha… that’s funny! Seriously though, the trick is to find a balance and not take it too far because that’s when shopping can turn into an addiction.
I recently saw a documentary about fashion and shopping in Tokyo. Apparently it’s common among teenagers and young women in the city to skip lunch and eating out to afford buying more clothes and shoes.
Shopping it very tempting while traveling and not just because things are cheaper. When you see something you like but maybe don’t really need, it’s hard to not buy it because you might never get the chance again, it’s now or never!
@Fazana, Good point! Even though you don’t need something, it can be hard to resist because you want it so much.