Confession....

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by lesia

My obsession are Nike workout shoes! Nike Revolution 2 is the only brand that fits my feet right. When I know I need new shoes, I will go and look at every color of the Revolution 2 series and pick a pair. I tend to rotate them out so it feeds into my obsession even more.

In fact, this past weekend I bought a black pair with hot pink edging. Love them!! My feet love them too. Now I want to go get another pair because I'm afraid that the color will be phased out.

Madness....

Lesia

Oh I get the shoe thing too! LOL! Mine is Mizuno Wave Riders. I can't turn down a pair at a good price and pretty colors!

[dnna]

Hi ToomuchJoy
I think it is good that you have identified a problem and are looking for ways to resolve it. I was buying way too much "stuff" _stuff I did not need or even really want, buying dvd because they might go out of print-clothes -etc.- anyway, started to pack up my house this summer to sell and what an omgosh moment that was. I had literally thrown away so much money and I am supporting a family.
so- make a deal with yourself that you can't buy anything new until you have worked out 21 days (# of days to establish a habit) or until you have completed 21 of your unused , unopened dvd- whatever works for you. I started putting a sticker on my calendar for days I did not buy anything, I went 30 days with no purchases, then 30 more, etc. I do not need anything> I had a cassette tape I played I'm my car on how not to spend money needlessly and I keep those thoughts in mind.
I am debt free and I want to stop using credit cards completely.
so good luck, you can do it, of course you can. set your mind on your goal and keep trying, if you slip up, try again! dnna

[Kathy G]

Originally Posted by lesia

My obsession are Nike workout shoes! Nike Revolution 2 is the only brand that fits my feet right. When I know I need new shoes, I will go and look at every color of the Revolution 2 series and pick a pair. I tend to rotate them out so it feeds into my obsession even more.

In fact, this past weekend I bought a black pair with hot pink edging. Love them!! My feet love them too. Now I want to go get another pair because I'm afraid that the color will be phased out.

Madness....

Lesia

I get this too, lol! I have (4) pairs of the same color of Mizuno Inspire's. They are all at different levels of wear. I have a newer pair that I use for running, I have two pair that aren't good enough for running but are fine for workout dvds, and a final pair that I wear around the house (not good enough for any impact).

My 7 yr. old granddaughter was in my bedroom a couple of weeks ago and saw all four pair lined up by the closet. She said "grandma why do you have so many of the same kind of shoes?" DOH! Lol!

[lesia]

Yep Kathy G! That's me.

I can't believe your granddaughter is 7 already. I still can't get that Lucy is 13. All the more reason to keep working out...to keep up with these girls.

Lesia

[Footballnut]

Originally Posted by toomuchjoy

My name is toomuchjoy and I have a problem. I buy too many workout videos. That’s not the problem. I don’t use them. Any of them. I haven’t worked out at home in months. For that matter, I haven't worked out outside of the home in a month. But I keep wanting and buying more videos. Usually used on the Roost but not always. I don’t over buy anything else just this.

I’m going to step away from VF for a bit. Do you think I can ever come back? I love the community but I hate what I’m doing with my disposable income. Has anyone had a similar issue and were able to come back?

I know this sounds crazy but I’m betting someone knows what I’m talking about.

I wish to invoke my 5th amendment right against self incrimination!

[Kathy G]

Originally Posted by lesia

Yep Kathy G! That's me.

I can't believe your granddaughter is 7 already. I still can't get that Lucy is 13. All the more reason to keep working out...to keep up with these girls.

Lesia

You are so right Lesia, time flies!!! Yep, we definitely need to workout just to keep up with them!

[Aunt Famous]

Joy, if it makes you feel any better, I'll tell you a little story about the time Aunt Famous belonged or went to four -- yes, FOUR -- gyms each and every week: two where I taught spin, one where I worked out with a trainer, and one where I used only the saline pool. All of this was in the wee, wee hours of the morning, which prompted Uncle Famous to crack that he had no idea of what I was doing or where I was going, but that it was way too early for him to care.

(Uncle Famous' best, most prescient observation: Our laundry consists of two pairs of his underwear and 50 pounds of my athletic clothes.)

You've gotten great advice. I can't give you any good advice on how not to buy DVDs. (I can give you absolutely fantastic advice on how to buy more.)

Good luck. Don't leave, but if you do, I get it.

AF

Check out my blog at www.typeALC.com

[LizEMA]

Originally Posted by Jeanne Marie

I feel your pain in a totally different way.[...]Not only that, I have this obsession with cute workout clothes. It's not like I don't have enough. I can't possibly wear all that I have, yet if I see a pair of pants, a top or a workout bra that speaks to me, I have to have it. I would be embarrassed to show any of you my closet. You'd think I've lost my mind.

Originally Posted by Jeanne Marie

Oh my... a fellow legging fanatic!

What I tend to do is find a brand that I really love... it fits me well, it is the right fabric and the designs are cute. Then I find all the leggings in that brand I can and buy them. Urrghh... somebody stop me.

My fave right now are the leggings by "90 Degrees by Reflex". They are so soft and stretchy and the designs are CUTE!

OMG, Jeanne Marie, you just described ME! This is a fairly recent fanaticism of mine. All of my years, leggings/capris were never flattering to my figure. Several months ago, I bought a couple of pairs of cotton capris, and they were fabulous! So began my quest of searching for any and all solid capris -- cotton only, which expanded to leggings. Then I branched out to NON cotton fabrics, then PATTERNED capris and leggings. First, the leggings and capris were actually just to be a part of my wardrobe (now, pretty much my ONLY wardrobe ), then it was, "Well, if they work so well for me the rest of the time, then why not for working out??"

I consider my body (shape) hard to "dress"/FIT properly, and I HATE brick and mortar store shopping, so, when I find something that not only fits and works for me, but that, I feel, FLATTERS my body, I jump on that train FAST.

Of course I had to have SNEAKERS to go with my new pants. (My sneaker collection now looks like a Skechers warehouse.) OY VEY. (My WORKOUT collection of sneakers looks like a Nike warehouse of In-Season TR 4's; when I found those to work for me, I went on a mad hunt searching high and low for any and every color variation I could get my hands on. I promptly stopped working out as the 2nd pair [of 7!] started rolling in. LOL <facepalm>)


I, too, have been buying a fair amount of 90 Degrees by Reflex as of late. And, speaking of your TJMaxx find, on my shopping trip to Marshalls today to finish up my Christmas shopping, I wound up with $116 of workout wear for myself. And NOTHING for anyone else. but LOL

I wear about 25% of the stuff I buy.

ETA: Well, in high ROTATION is about 25% of the stuff; that gets worn 80% of the time, but, most of the stuff I buy, ESP. work out clothes, does make it on to my body. LOL

(In my defense, I went about a DECADE without buying a single new item of clothing or shoes. My brain must be trying to make up for lost time. )

Honestly, I'm glad I'm not alone.

And, Jeanne Marie, I would not-so-secretly LOVE to see your closet!

I know this post helps NO ONE. For that, I apologize, but it felt good to share.

[LizEMA]

Originally Posted by toomuchjoy

My name is toomuchjoy and I have a problem. I buy too many workout videos. That’s not the problem. I don’t use them. Any of them. I haven’t worked out at home in months. For that matter, I haven't worked out outside of the home in a month. But I keep wanting and buying more videos. Usually used on the Roost but not always. I don’t over buy anything else just this.

I’m going to step away from VF for a bit. Do you think I can ever come back? I love the community but I hate what I’m doing with my disposable income. Has anyone had a similar issue and were able to come back?

I know this sounds crazy but I’m betting someone knows what I’m talking about.

Originally Posted by dnna

[...] so- make a deal with yourself that you can't buy anything new until you have worked out 21 days (# of days to establish a habit) or until you have completed 21 of your unused , unopened dvd- whatever works for you. I started putting a sticker on my calendar for days I did not buy anything, I went 30 days with no purchases, then 30 more, etc. I do not need anything> I had a cassette tape I played I'm my car on how not to spend money needlessly and I keep those thoughts in mind.

Now, I actually wanted to address OPs plight, esp. because what dnna said was in line with what I immediately thought of -- setting some kind of limit or imposing a set length of time for going without buying a new DVD.

When I feel like I'm getting out of control with buying -- ANYthing -- when I feel the "urge" coming on or want to buy something, I sit on it. Usually, 24-48 hours. If, after that, I still want it, I have a chat with myself. I ask if I can wait a month (or 2 or 3 or 4) to acquire it, and most of the time I can. So, I don't DEPRIVE myself or tell myself NOT to buy it. I'm still, technically, BUYING it, just not at that very moment; I make myself wait for it. Most of the time, I don't want it anymore after some time has passed OR I can get cheaper. (I know cost is not so much an issue for you, toomuchjoy, as it is the thought of being "wasteful", frivolous and impractical.)

For me, it helps sometimes, to just get my mind off of it. I know that sounds ridiculously simple (AND obvious), but sometimes, going to make dinner or watching a funny tv show is enough to kind of "snap" myself out of it. I think your buying habit is just that -- habit. And, as with any habit -- it is a learned condition and can be changed. I know, for me, often it's just a matter of breaking that buying momentum; I just get USED to buying whatever I see, whenever I see it and don't even actually THINK about my purhases; I just sort of BLINDLY buy. But if I do something to get myself out of that "whirlwind" (sometimes, it can just be as simple as walking through the grocery store and leaving empty-handed), that can help. Just knocking my brain out of that "buy mode". And, also, as mentioned, TALKING to myself about what I want to buy helps. "Do I really need another X?" "Is this going to increase my quality of life, make things easier for me, streamline my time?" Just questioning a purchase can be enough to realize I don't need or have to buy something.

I think making a concentrated, conscious effort to STOP will really help. Follow my suggestions, dnna's or do a quick Google search on how to break the cycle of spending money.

As far as leaving, well, only you know if that's necessary. If that's what you need to do to take your mind off of things or get out of buying mode, then do it. That doesn't mean you can never come back. It never hurts to try anything.

Good luck with everything!

[toomuchjoy]

This is why I love this place. Nowhere on all of the internet are there such nice people. Thank you everyone for your comments/advice/support.

I think I have an idea of how to tackle this. For the record, it isn't a spending thing (husband and I are incredibly frugal and I never buy anything that's why it's so weird i'm buying workout dvds like I am). It's just a weird thing to "collect".

Hopefully nobody snickers if I *don't* go away.