To be addicted to ordering stuff online?

[AndieNZ]

My spending and ordering stuff via Amazon and groupon etc etc has become out of control

I have recently changed careers and I am now lucky enough to have a lot of free time and find myself addicted to Amazon just browsing and buying things. My earnings have increased in line with my new job but we are now absolutely skint! I feel awful as I know exactly where I am going wrong as the irony of it its part of my job to advise people on sticking to a budget!!

I was on a thread late last night talking about cosmetics and shampoos etc from the 1980s and at 5am this morning I have ended up ordering online a bottle of Flex Balsam shampoo and conditioner costing me nearly £30!! I have emailed the seller to ask for a refund as I have realised how bloody stupid this is when we were meant to be cutting back as payday is miles away but I think it's been despatched already!

I don't want a lecture, just want to know that I am not the only one being sucked in!!

I always open the pages of the items I want to buy, and then leave them open for at least 24 hours, go back and see if I still want it and if I do I buy it. It does reduce impulse purchases

i order quite a bit off amazon but i'm wondering why, when it's free delivery, it never is. Surely it shouldn't say free delivery if it isn't.

You have to start a Wishlist habit. Generally I never actually end up buying anything on my Wishlist.

Oh I loved Flex Balsam shampoo - where did you get it?

Sorry no help at all

Because you have to go into delivery details before paying and change to free delivery option. Amazon use standard delivery as default to get lots of extra cash off people who don't check.

I've just had a look and i can't see the free delivery option, why have they made it so hard, it's obvious we want free delivery, we shouldn't have to opt for it when it states "free delivery", or is this me being dim.

Lavender I think it's free delivery with Prime (which you pay for) or free delivery on purchases over £20.

I add the things I want to the basket then check out the next day. This helps me cut out some impulse purchases. Though definitely not all. I am also addicted. I spend a lot of time alone and i think I am a little bit addicted to the thrill of getting a parcel.

On a side note - Google "lifestyle inflation" - really useful insights for me when I changed jobs recently and had a subsequent increase in pay (sadly, my spending on silly stuff went up too, cancelling out the benefits!).

I have been terrible for this in the past. It's definitely addictive!

I have absolutely massive wish lists - in categories. I virtually never buy something straight away now

I just bought a speaker for £30 and it said free delivery, only to find out they'd added about £4.50 delivery on top. So not the bargain i thought.

I bought something for £35 last night using mobile. The total was almost £40.

On basket screen there above item it said standard delivery. Clicked it and had 3 options. Free, standard or expedited. Clicked free. Sorted.

If you have only just bought it, cancel and then order again. Or contact them now before dispatch and ask them to alter and refund p+p.

Too late for that i think but will be more careful next time hopefully.

Make a deal with yourself that you have to leave items in your basket for at least 24 hours before you purchase. It's amazing what you don't need the next day.

I call it Clickitis.

So if you order stuff all in one go and it comes to over £20 is it automatically free delivery?

Nokidshere

The Flex shampoo can be found on eBay! There is a Facebook page "Bring back Revlon Flex shampoo and conditioner" think there are a lot of Americans on there who are miffed that they don't deliver to the US...and when I spotted the free UK delivery I just got carried away!

Talking about Amazon delivery, I have Amazon Prime and I feel sure Amazon make a loss with my membership! Lol

*Sunshinegirls
*
I completely agree with you about the addiction and thrill with receiving packages. It's as if there is a level of excited anticipation of knowing there is a parcel winging its way to me!

Any money I save not buying stuff I put into a separate account for travel. I was amazed how much I was spending on crap.

I do this, mainly makeup bits or brushes/bags and little odds and sods from Amazon. But nothing I technically NEED! Never spend a lot and I make sure it's free delivery. It's the whole browsing, finding what I'm looking for and then getting the email saying it's despatched. It's addictive.

I used to order so many things on Amazon I would have forgotten what was in them by the time they arrived. Since I started decluttering my house and getting rid of stuff I've been more mindful of what I actually 'need' as I don't want buy stuff and it become unwanted clutter after the novelty has worn off. Amazon is dangerous for making you convinced you can't live without things that you didn't know existed before!

I'm the same but once everything's arrived I send it back - I get almost the same rush doing that (and seeing the refund go back in my account) as I do buying the stuff. For some reason I feel like I've saved myself money.

My mum has gone into a care home. I've been sorting her place out and it is full of crap bought online, most of it still in the box, never been opened. There was no way to walk round her bedroom. She lived in a one bed bungalow and had enough furniture for a 3 bed house - she had 2 sets of fold up dining tables with 4 chairs, so enough for 8 people, she lived alone! Not that you could get them out because of all the crap she'd hoarded.

No wonder she never had any money. Thousands of pounds wasted on stuff she never even got out the box.

Don't be like my mum!

I second adding things to your basket and sleeping on it.

And make sure you actually send back the stuff that you really don't need/doesn't suit/doesn't fit! Otherwise it's taking up space in your house and wasting money.