Just this past Saturday, I went to Scarborough Town Centre and came out with nothing. Wait, what? Nothing? you might be thinking. Okay, that’s a lie. I did come out with a small French Vanilla from Tim Hortons, but that was it! Nothing from Hudson’s Bay, Ardene, Old Navy, Dynamite, Shoppers Drug Mart, Indigo or Hot Topic. Impressive, no? These are the tales of a notorious window shopper.
For those of you who don’t know what window shopping is, it is the act of going into a store and just looking with no intention of buying anything. And, I, for one love it! In fact, I would consider window shopping to be one of my favourite pastimes – if not my second after watching television. Here are some reasons why window shopping should not be dismissed as a legit activity.
- Window shopping is cheap!
Though this may seem like an obvious one, it’s probably the top reason why I love window shopping so much. Look, we’re all broke university students, right? And I’m sure many of you are aware that shopping is an expensive pursuit.
Here’s a tip: Window shopping becomes a LOT easier when leaving your wallet, credit and debit card at home to resist the temptation of buying anything. Just make sure you bring a $10 bill in case of an emergency or you get hungry.
In addition to saving a lot of money and not succumbing to my impulses, I also came home with a list of items that sparked my interest, leading me to my next point.
- Window shopping can lead to smarter shopping habits.
Though I didn’t buy anything at the mall, I did, however, walk out with an intricate plan of what I might want to buy in the future. I’ve realized that to not stay broke you need to save money and create a budget.
Well, no shoot, Sherlock.
Hear me out – a hard $100 budget for discretionary items like clothing, gadgets and gizmos. Window shopping really helps with not buying unnecessary things on impulse. For example, on the shopping list I came up with from my mall excursion, I included a $49.99 grey wool coat from Ardene and a $29.99 American history book from Indigo. From there, I’d give it a week or so to see if I still wanted to buy it or if there were better deals elsewhere.
- Window shopping is fun!
It just is! This is especially true during the holiday season. The adrenaline rush that one experiences during this busy and hectic time of year is a feeling that just cannot be matched. It’s exhilarating! Bring a friend or two to make the experience even more enjoyable.
Also, window shopping doesn’t have to be restricted to malls. For example, before the pandemic, I would go to the local Chapters with my sisters and just browse with no intention of buying books. If we did find books we wanted to buy, we would add them to our “maybe” list and give them some thought to see if we really wanted to buy them or wait for available copies at the public library.
In conclusion, window shopping is cheap, smart, and most importantly – fun. And love it or hate it, you can’t escape it. Happy holidays!