I don’t know about you, but when I’m stressed out, shopping is something I can always count on. It’s a girl’s best friend. Maybe you indulge yourself in chocolates and ice cream to attend to your needs when stressed, but I find myself perusing the Express, H & M, or Macy’s websites. Online shopping seems like a bad idea because there is always that five dollar shipping or ten dollar handling fee. But, if you really think about it, online shopping saves more money in the long run.
If you can get your semester’s worth of textbooks fromAamazon for $200 as opposed to the pricey $500 at the bookstore, isn’t the $10 shipping fee worth it? I realized this last year when I consistently burned up my parents’ pockets by taking $500-$700 every three months for the expensive Calculus textbook Professor X uses in his class. They weren’t exactly happy after already having to pay the $50k college tuition.
I know I went slightly off tangent talking about textbooks and online shopping, but my point is: Online shopping is amazing! Get on it!
- You can do it whenever you want. I mentioned earlier that it’s essentially a stress reliever for me (we can debate the pros and cons of spending money to alleviate stress later) but my study break at 3 A.M. couldn’t possibly be to drive down to Northfield downtown where essentially everything shuts down at 8 P.M.
- It’s cheaper! Well, it’s definitely cheaper with those textbooks that pile up on our desks each year. But honestly, have you ever tried googling “Express online deals” or “Macy’s online promos”? If you haven’t yet, try it the next time you shop your booties online. Who knows, you may end up saving an extra $20 on them. While you may be concerned about shipping, buying things in bulk saves that cost because shipping is free!
- More choices! Usually, websites provide us with a wide array of selection that’s not necessarily available in store. There are so many times I catch myself wanting something that says “Not available in store.” I personally like having the extra color or style online in order to decide on the perfect one.
- Privacy: How many stores do you go to where sales people pester you about what might look cute on you or not? Or do you even wonder that you might be judged for buying something a size too small? Or the guy who tries to avoid the elderly ladies at the register so he doesn’t get “the look” for purchasing the latest edition of Playboy? (It happened to me this summer…I was the cashier). Saving yourself those awkward few minutes may be worth turning to online shopping!
- Convenience! It was my best friend’s birthday a couple of weeks ago and I had no time to go to the mall and find something for her. Online shopping came in handy because not only could I spare a few minutes to look for a gift on her favorite website, but it was delivered to her doorstep. She called me that night gushing about how much she loved the present. Things couldn’t have been any more convenient!
Going to the mall may be enjoyable with friends, but when we are swarmed with work, live in the middle of nowhere without cars, and are on a budget, online shopping is awesome!