Buying yet another Prada-like bowling bag to add to the dozen you already have stashed away in the back of the closet is not smart. Not everyone can afford a RM800 pair of pants from Calvin Klein, but a RM80 pair that is similar in cut and style can easily be found in your normal retail shops. If you suddenly fall in love with the dress in the window, see if you still want it a week later. However, if you've been eyeing that gorgeous bracelet for months and have finally saved up enough money to buy it, chances are it's a keeper. A safe 'quarantine' period for impulse buys is 2 weeks for anything below RM200 and 3 months for everything else.
Humans are creatures of desire.
It is this urge to acquire that drives us to excellence. Moderation is the key here. Allow yourself three impulse buys every three months and be money-savvy with the above tips the rest of the time. Perfectionist and control-freak have been terms loosely used to describe her. Copyright 2001 Against The Grain Sdn.