It’s almost impossible to resist. How can you really be expected to have the will power to keep it under control, especially this time of year, when it’s in your face all the time, and you know already that it’s only going to get worse? I’m not talking about fattening holiday treats here- that’s a whole other topic, and I am probably not the best equipped to advise on that at the moment. I am the biggest sucker for holiday cookies and they seem to have taken over the world right now. You know those crunchy sugar cookies with the colorful sugar? They get me every time! No, what I’m talking about now is shopping.

Everybody wants a good deal, and businesses know how to play to that. Every year, from way before Black Friday, through the New Year, we’re bombarded with advertising telling us about can’t-miss sales on products we must have. And they do such a good job, don’t they? I mean, I bet you never realized how badly you wanted that 30th sweater this winter, until they got to you. It’s a great sweater, and you have two already, because when you first saw it, you had a coupon and it looked like the perfect sweater to keep you warm all winter. And it’s so stylish, too, so you might as well buy it in two colors, right? And that was okay- we’ve all been there. The problem is that you already have two of them, but then you walk into the store and it’s been marked down to half-price, plus, you can take an extra 25% off sale items. And you have the coupon they mailed you, trying to lure you into shopping some more. With free shipping for online orders. And it works, because there you are, ready to buy that sweater again in a third and fourth color. NO, YOU’RE NOT!!! You’re going to resist this one!

You might still have some last minute gifts to get, so you should definitely take advantage of whatever deals you find and try to save some money where ever you can. But don’t let yourself fall into the trap where you buy things you don’t need, or even want, just because they’re on sale. I’m not exaggerating at all when I say that my inbox is stuffed with about 100 emails telling me to “Save an extra 50%!” or “Get this now! Offer ends at midnight!” So I’ve started just deleting them without even opening. I try not to read the subject line, because, can I really read “No code needed: save an extra 50% on all sale item, plus free shipping!” and just delete? It’s also a good idea to stay away from malls and shopping areas, because everything looks so good. But because sometimes you need to indulge, don’t beat yourself up if you do get taken in by the temptation. Ask yourself if you really want what you’re buying, and think hard about whether it really is a good buy. If the answers to both questions are yes, go for it and pat yourself on the back for getting a really good deal. Then take it all the way and celebrate with a delicious sugar-sprinkled cookie!