I’m a little ashamed to admit it, but if my shopping habits were a fictional character, they would be Cher Horowitz.
Because just like Cher, I don’t just see shopping as merely an unavoidable chore. Oh no.
For me and my buddy Cher, shopping is so much more. It’s a pick-me-up. It’s a hobby. It’s a social activity. Sometimes Often, it’s a NECESSITY.
So when it comes to credit cards, I tend to use them just like Cher did in Clueless – with gay abandon. Until the end of the month bill arrives.
But we’re not all as clueless (geddit?) as Cher when it comes to purchases. You might see yourself reflected in one of these common shopping “types” we regularly see on our screens.
1. The Carrie Bradshaw.
If you are a Carrie, then you love to shop. Scrap that – you LIVE to shop.
For you, a shiny new pair of shoes definitely constitutes an “emergency” worthy of whipping out the credit card.
You’d rather rack up a credit card debt than miss out on a must-have item – and as a consequence, you’ve probably got at least one scary credit card bill in your time.
But hey – you have an amazing wardrobe, right?
2. The Rachel Green.
You shop spontaneously, and frivolously – but you’re not quite as reckless as The Carrie (see above).
You don’t necessarily plan to shop, but have no qualms about shelling out a wad of cash for something you spot on your lunch break or when innocently passing by a store.
Sure, you might spend a bit more than you were planning to every now and then, but you usually manage to stick to the monthly budget.
3. The Phil Dunphy.
That’s right, just like the dad from Modern Family, you always have the best of intentions. But somehow, you manage to make mistakes. Regularly.
When it comes to shopping, those mistakes could include buying a dress on sale two sizes too small because you plan to “get fit” – which of course never happens. Or it could mean following a budget like a saint for most of the month, then blowing out your credit card on something you. Must. Have.
Basically, you’re the yo-yo dieters of the shopping world.
4. The Rory Gilmore.
Congratulations, friend. In other words, you are a model (credit card-wielding) citizen.
You are a beacon of restraint and discipline. You pay off the full amount owing on your card every month right to the cent, because having debt stresses you out. You’ve never been late on a repayment in your life – and you’ve probably never bought anything heinous on a whim, only to regret it later.
Just like your life, your shopping trips are organised to a tee – whether it’s groceries or a new pair of jeans, you always have a plan of attack (and therefore you never come home armed with a trolley full of chocolate, sans bread and milk).
You’re who we all wish we could be.
5. The George Costanza.
You’re the old school type – you probably only have a credit card purely for emergencies. And unlike The Carrie, you mean REAL emergencies, of the unexpected bill variety, not the “Oh look, there’s a sale” kind.
You are frugal and conservative in your spending habits and good for you – because you probably have a sparkling credit history. And when it comes to shopping, you’re not tempted to buy anything unnecessary or silly. And you have a healthy bank balance to match.
I’ve been inspired by this list to at least TRY to be a Rory Gilmore in future. Late New Year Resolution, anyone?
Which pop culture shopper-style are you?