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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to hate shopping?

72 replies

Ellybellyboo · 02/04/2017 09:00

Friends seem to think I'm some sort of weird freak

We're visiting some friends this weekend - we've known them years and our kids are really good buddies. We moved away several years ago.

Yesterday we went shopping at Westfield. OMG! I hated every minute of it.

Our DHs and a couple of other male friends went out on a jolly while the women and kids went shopping - would have rather been go-karting with the men to be honest, but we were their guests so went with the flow

DD1 (15) was initially quite enthusiastic about the idea (we live in the arse end of nowhere so was excited about the bright lights of Primark) DD2 (11) not so keen, but looking forward to spending time with her friends.

About an hour in and we're all bored and fed up with the whole thing. It was packed so constantly being bumped into, hot and uncomfortable and I end up with a banging headache.

We spent what felt like hours in Primark, DD1 doesn't really find anything she likes but buys a couple of tops as her friends bought them - it was kind of how cute, we'll all have the same top (I doubt she'll ever wear them, but it was her money).

Anyway, the torture finally ends.

I suppose we're just not used to it. We have a small town, with most things we need, but not the most exciting place to go shopping and we don't have any massive shopping centres nearby so we just don't go. That's what the internet is for!!

Plus, I just don't want to buy 'stuff'. We're not stingy or anything, we buy what we need, the kids have whatever they want within reason, but none of us want to buy stuff just for the sake of it.

DD1 didn't really find anything she liked and she was cool with that, but she came under a bit of pressure from her friends to just buy something - anything! DD2 bought some leggings and 2 t-shirts, I didn't buy anything. We spent about £50 between us, including lunch - last of the big spenders

We were all out for dinner last night and someone said to DH - "oh, you let Elly loose with your credit card, you're brave" (er, I have my own credit card, but anyway.....). DH said "oh, Elly hates shopping, it was fine"

General consensus seems to be that I'm a freak - a woman who hates shopping!!!!! . Everyone else seems to go shopping every weekend

When we get back to our friends last night we were discussing what to do today - friend suggested going to x town for lunch and a wander round the shops

NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:

Iamastonished · 02/04/2017 13:58

Those of you who only shop for clothes online, are you standard sizes or do you accept clothes that aren't a good fit? I always end up taking 2 or 3 sizes into a changing room. I can't be doing with faffing around returning and reordering clothes.

specialsubject · 02/04/2017 14:04

Thing is, if we bought less there would be less to buy, less waste and the planet might be in a decent state in 50 years.

That doesn't strike me as snobbery.

user1andonly · 02/04/2017 14:38

I'm another who enjoys it, on my own, when I need stuff.

Not in a group, with teenagers, where you spend most of the time checking where everyone is and hanging around outside changing rooms.

DD loves it and I am thankful that she's now 17 and can go with her friends or we might have a day out to a big centre, split up for the shopping and meet up for a meal afterwards. Claire's, Superdrug and Boots were the stuff of my nightmares when she was younger!

Is it not the men's turn to take the DC out today?!

boolifooli · 02/04/2017 14:43

I hate shopping too. Lots of us women hate it. My husband makes jokes about guys being forced to trail around shops with wives and I've never made him do that in 15 years so the stereotype is a tenacious one.

Ollivander84 · 02/04/2017 14:46

I like shopping alone
If I go to say Trafford centre I'll know which shops I want to go in, might go in anything else (hotel chocolat ) that looks interesting. Have some food and people watch for a bit then come home
If I like it, I buy it. I don't trail round checking all the alternatives!

Ollivander84 · 02/04/2017 14:47

Oh and preferably on a weekday when it's not half term. Weekends are hell on earth

Iamastonished · 02/04/2017 15:41

As I work part time if I need something in particular I can go when it is quiet. I tend to browse online first so that I can choose which shops to go to. Meadowhall on a weekday morning in term time and not close to Christmas is almost a pleasure. I prefer to shop alone as well.

Bookaholic · 02/04/2017 15:50

I'm quite happy to spend hours in a bookshop or a yard/craft shop, and I hear my credit card whimpering in anticipation at the very thought. But 'shopping' as in wandering around and browsing for the sake of it, nope, very boring.

Other half lives a short bus ride from a very big shopping centre, we've been once, for a specific purpose, went in, got what we wanted and left. That's my idea of that kind of shopping. We made sure it was mid-week as well so no crowds.

Bookaholic · 02/04/2017 15:50

That would be YARN shop not yard ....

Iamastonished · 02/04/2017 16:28

I'm quite happy to spend hours at a food festival or kitchenware shop BTW.

MrsJayy · 02/04/2017 16:33

Yanbu i hate it i dont mind a wander occasionally but if im not buying i get bored when i need/want something i am in and out of the shops. My friend loves window shopping she doesnt ask me anymore as i whinge and moan that i want a seat or a drink like a 5 year old

YouKnowNothingJS · 02/04/2017 16:35

I prefer shopping online but I do enjoy it.

I hate shopping as a group, it just doesn't work.

Your first mistake was going to Primark. Always crammed full, lots of pushchairs, screaming children. To spend an hour in there eurgh.

I enjoy many other leisure activities and don't judge people that do activities that I personally wouldn't enjoy doing.

MrsJayy · 02/04/2017 16:40

I dontmind wandering outside shops but big shopping centres are hell when they are mobbed.

MrsJayy · 02/04/2017 16:41

I have no young children so if i want primark i go midafternoon midweek it is quieter.

PNGirl · 02/04/2017 16:55

I like shopping. I'm a buyer (fashion retailer) and my nearest places to shop are Bath and Bristol which are both nice places to wander around, people watch, and get a coffee. I like to think I can spend a day off work like I did last week walking around a city centre without being labelled as some sort of sheep trying to get of my wages...

That said, group shopping is horrible. 1 or 2 people only!

Xmasbaby11 · 02/04/2017 17:02

I like shopping but mostly on my own, if I have a lot to get, or with a friend if not much.

I actually feel a bit guilty for enjoying it as I know sometimes it's things I want rather than need. I feel like it's not the done thing to admit you enjoy it - not in my social circles anyway!

DaffodilsinMarch · 02/04/2017 18:30

I think you should go shopping -- for new friends.

I HATE SHOPPING.

Your NT forest walk plus pub idea was perfect!

Very happy to have found club members for Shopping Is The Spawn of Satan.

user1480459555 · 02/04/2017 19:40

I hate shopping unless it is for books. I don't really have much interest in clothes as long as they fit and are comfortable so don't see the need to have loads of them. I also am not really interested in shoes and even less so in handbags!

Me and my husband went to Westfield last year only really to get something to eat before we went to the Olympic Park for the Anniversary Games. It was honestly my idea of hell.

I can think of so many things I would rather do than shop - read, listen to music, watch a dvd, go to the cinema, go for a walk, go to a National Trust property etc

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 02/04/2017 21:41

A few times a year, when I have an objective can be a pleasure. I prefer being on my own, particularly for trying things on.

More often than that, and the stock hasn't changed, made worse by clone High Streets.

I definitely wouldn't consider it a hobby.

Looking through the mother's day cards a few weeks ago, lots of those were themed around shopping, handbags and shoes. I didn't buy one of those!

iklboo · 02/04/2017 21:49

I despise shopping. And shoes. And handbags. And chocolate cake.

HardcoreLadyType · 02/04/2017 21:55

Shopping is just something you have to do to get the stuff you need. It's not something I choose to do as a leisure activity.

I do like to have nice things though. The internet is good for that.

SheepyFun · 02/04/2017 22:10

I have found my people! I shop in my leisure time in the same way I clean the bathroom in my leisure time. OK, I enjoy the shopping slightly more (I really don't like cleaning!), but it's a necessity, not a joy. And YY to previous posters re shopping on holiday. Why, just why?!

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