SavvySugar

Why You Shouldn't Buy a Fragrance at First Sniff

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:10:54 PDT

The scenario goes a little something like this: you walk into Sephora searching for a new fragrance and walk out with a scent you adored in the store, only to realize two days later that you actually can't stand the smell. It's a classic case of first-sniff buyer's remorse, and it's exactly why you should never purchase a fragrance based on an initial spritz. To find out why you should wait on fragrance, just keep reading.

Have You Ever Had eBay Bidder's Remorse?

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:00:15 PDT

I recently asked if you'd ever had buyer's remorse over buying furniture. Unfortunately, most of you agreed you had, but there was one response that resonated with me in particular. CasaSugar Community member Sundown321 wrote, "I used to get buyer's remorse after eBay purchases. I would get caught up in the excitement of the bid and found myself overpaying for an antique piece of furniture. Later, I learned not to get caught up in that . . . pick a price and stick to it. Also, research what you are buying, shop around as much as possible. Find out the manufacturer of the furniture you are interested in and make sure you are getting the best deal possible. If you put the time and work into it you are less likely to regret your purchase!"

I don't know about you but I have definitely been there before! I actually still have silly things I've bought on eBay sitting unused in closets around my house. My solution, though, wasn't so much to pick a price and stick to it but to steer clear of eBay altogether. How about you? Have you fallen prey to the rush of eBay bidding?

Have You Ever Had Furniture Buyer's Remorse?

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:00:00 PDT

CasaSugar Community member Zooey1118 recently asked the CasaSugar Q and A group, "Have you ever had buyer's remorse on a furniture purchase? I just bought two chairs today and now I'm wracked with remorse."

I once bought a coffee table that I'm not completely happy with. But it wasn't too expensive, and it filled the need I had at the time, so I wouldn't say I'm "wracked with remorse" over the purchase.

How about you? Have any of you regretted a furniture purchase? Have you ever returned a piece of furniture? Have any of you had trouble with return policies? Please tell me in the comments below.

Maxed Out: Binge Shopper Fills Void by Using Credit Cards

SavvySugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 12:30:34 PDT

This episode of Maxed Out is about Alicia, a 30-year old woman who works in advertising and has trapped herself in a pattern of binge spending. A couple years ago she was $20,000 in debt and got a consolidation loan she got to help her pay it off. After paying down about $10,000, she started using credit cards again and increased her debt load to $20,000 once again. Alicia maxed out three credit cards in just two months, and Allison Griffiths develops a plan to help Alicia regain self-control. Find out what happens with Alicia's debt problem when you

read more. Her two biggest problem areas are eating out and shopping, and she estimates that any given shopping trip could total between $150 and $500. Alicia says she's filling a void by shopping and admits that she doesn't feel like getting up on days she can't spend, but springs out of bed when she knows there's room on a card and goes straight to the mall. Allison calculates that Alicia has a monthly shortfall of $720, and at the rate she's going it will take over five years to pay off her debt. Allison suggests that another consolidation loan is in order and will save Alicia $3,000 in interest and cut the amount of time it will take to pay off her total debt. Along with the loan, Allison puts Alicia on a shopping diet where she must put an item on hold for 24 hours and then go home to fill out a shopping questionnaire, tells her to track her spending, and asks her to think of another way to fill her void. Alicia is able to break the cycle of spending, debt, and regret, and ends up with a monthly $420 surplus. She tries to fill her void by volunteering instead of shopping, spending her time with a program called Dress Your Best that helps low-income women put outfits together for job interviews. Source

I'm Asking: When Was the Last Time You Had Buyer's Remorse?

SavvySugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:08:48 PDT

Buyer's remorse sets in when we second (and third, and fourth) guess ourselves after making a purchase that usually falls more in the want than the need category. Sometimes it leads us to dragging ourselves back to the store and returning the item, and other times we simply get past the feeling with some clever rationalization. Can you remember the last thing you purchased that made you kick yourself with buyer's remorse?

Source

Your Two Cents: Is Compulsive Buying a Mental Disorder?

SavvySugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:33:06 PDT

Buying things to make yourself feel better, getting the high for a short while, coming down with hateful guilt, and repeating the process until you're deep in debt is the basis for compulsive buying. It's an addiction that millions of people struggle to overcome and there are support groups like Debtors Anonymous to aid in recovery. According to a study in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 5.8 percent of Americans suffer from this kind of compulsion.

For years the American Psychiatric Association has been discussing including compulsive buying in its manual of mental disorders - do you think it should be identified as such?

Source

How to Overcome Buyer's Remorse

SavvySugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:36:21 PDT

That regretful feeling we know as buyer's remorse has a way of getting into the heads of most shoppers I know. And it doesn't seem to distinguish between well-off pocketbooks versus struggling ones - remember in Clueless when Dion asked Cher, "Dude, what's wrong? Are you suffering from buyer's remorse or something?" Cher responds, "God, no! Nothing like that." Because buyer's remorse is, like, a totally serious thing. To find out how to battle buyer's remorse just

read more. There are really only two options to get rid of remorse: either return the item or simply learn to accept your purchase. If you choose the latter, put the item to use immediately because once you've gotten something out of your purchase you'll start feeling less like you want to kick yourself. Whichever direction you choose, make your decision quickly. What's the point in stressing about an article of clothing or a pair of shoes? We have so many other things weighing on us at all times and buyer's remorse should be the last thing giving us premature wrinkles. A quick Google search of the term generated hundreds of results, but interestingly most were aimed at stores and services with tips on how to prevent buyers from returning goods. All of them were dishing the same advice: provide your customer with reassurance and confirmation that they're making the right choice. One familiar tactic involves a follow-up contact that makes you feel appreciated, and in turn your positive feelings are directed toward your purchase and the provider of your new item. Do you have any unique tricks for overcoming purchases lacking conviction and filled with regret? Source

Do You Ever Get Buyer's Remorse?

FabSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 00:55:55 PDT

Source

Link Time: Eco Chic Home Tips, Forced Blooms, and Furniture Buyer's Remorse

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:05:49 PST

Tips and a video help you to create an eco chic home. - Stylelist Home
Pro tips for home housecleaning. - Elle Decor
Treat yourself to Spring flowers in the Winter. - Houzz
Pebble drawing? Perfect coffee table accent. - Craft
Find your favorite shade of gray. - House Beautiful
Eliminate cord clutter! - Real Simple
Do you have buyer's remorse over a bad furniture purchase? - Offbeat Home

Tori Spelling on Shopping Estate Sales

Tori Spelling — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:01:39 PDT

We're excited to bring you a new post from mother and actress Tori Spelling! Every other week we're bringing you the best parenting and lifestyle advice from ediTORIal by Tori Spelling, which is Tori's daily blog about everything from food and fashion to parenting and relationships. This week Tori teaches us how to shop an estate sale.

Estate sales are a great place to find everything at a range of price points, from furniture to antiques to art to jewelry and vintage clothing. You never know what you’re going to find when you enter one, and each estate sale is different.

Here’s a little bit of background about what they are and how they work:

First of all, the term "estate" in this context refers to the belongings that an individual has accumulated over a lifetime. Estate sales are held for all sorts of reasons – sometimes people are moving or just want to get rid of stuff! An estate sale is different than a yard sale in that a company is usually hired to run the sale. It’s a lot of work; so for many families, it’s well worth it to work with an experienced company.

Insider Tips First, get there early! The best stuff goes the fastest, so you want to have first dibs. It’s easy to feel like a kid in a candy store at an estate sale, so arrive with a budget in mind and stop at an ATM on the way - many estate sales accept cash only. Even if the sale accepts cards or checks, bringing a set amount of cash will help you to stick to your budget.

People shop estate sales for all sorts of reasons. Collectors go to find rare and beautiful pieces to add to their collections. You can also shop for furniture, clothes, or items like gardening tools and kitchen utensils that were made with more care back in the day.

Related: Stella's Style - '50s Glam

Be picky, and arrive with a list in mind. Don’t buy $100 worth of antique dolls if you came intending to find a mosaic table for your patio. Stay open to inspiration - maybe you find a smooth, slate table you’d rather have instead - but don’t set yourself up for buyer’s remorse. When you decide what you’d like to buy, get ready to bargain! The more you buy, the more leverage you have.

Shop Around Want to get started shopping estate sales? Go to EstateSales.net to find sales near you. For many sales, you can even view the items on sale in advance, so you can plan what you want to buy.

I usually research what estate sales are in the area and come up with a game plan, but this one we just randomly drove by. Score!

Entering the estate sale. Always get a little rush wondering what treasures lie ahead.   

Love all these sea treasures. They have so many uses! Great for display on tables, mantles, armoires, or shelves. Also make great bookends, paperweights, door stoppers, or centerpieces! If shells look a little not so fresh, a little bleach will whiten and brighten them right up! Or be creative and lacquer them gold or silver.   

Small tchotchkes are great to sort through to find gifts for friends or family that have collections.   

A beautiful Indian fabric would make chic pillows, napkins, place mats, or part of your wardrobe! Think outside the box when sorting through estate sale treasures. But try to buy with an endgame in mind.   

Not sure exactly what I'll do with this vintage kids fabric but it was a must have for $15! In the kids playroom it could make adorable throw pillows.

Estate sales can be for the serious shopper, seller, decorator, or collector, or can be a social outing. I love going with my friends who love antiques as much as I do. We make a fun day of it! We grab coffee on the way (early bird gets the worm), pop in and out of local sales, and then discuss our great (or sometimes lack of) finds over a fun, weekend brunch.   

More great stories from ToriSpelling.com:
Photo Contest: Back-to-School Pictures
Fashion Forward: Wedge Yourself Into Fall
Fashion Forward: Tribal Chic
Weekend PicTORIal: Malibu Chili Cook-Off Fair