A shoe-in shopaholic?

I’m soooooo glad this looooooooooooong day is over *big, big sigh of relief*. My super cute doggie got into a cat fight (literally!!) last night and I had to take him to the vet this morning for a nasty scratch in his eye 🙁 I’m glad that he’s ok though *whew!!* Thank goodness for that and thank goodness for TIKOY!!!

Chinese New Year’s Eve is TONIGHT!! And Tikoys are the order of the day 🙂 Nian gao, more famously known in the Philippine community as “tikoy“, is a sticky and glutinous rice cake. According to China Daily, “Nian gaos also called nian nian gao, which is a homonym for ‘higher each year,’ [symbolizes] progress and promotion at work and in daily life and improvement in life year by year.” In other words, eating this will give you a rich, sweet, and worry-free life! *haha at least that’s my interpretation!* Soooo, a special thank you to the hags who sent me lucky tikoy today– PT, AM, and NB… Yay!! 3 wishes for a lucky and prosperous year of the rat! I actually loooove tikoy so I can’t wait to have em sliced and fried for breakfast this morning (yeah, I have another meeting early in the A.M. for that “exciting” thing happening soooon 🙂 🙂

Ok very quickly now, since tonight’s already the Eve of Chinese New Year, here are some tips on What to do and what Not to do (tomorrow is Chinese New Year!)– you want to ensure that luck is on your side this coming Year of the Rat 🙂

1. Greet everyone with Kung Hei Fat Choi, everyone (even to those who’ve earned your ire haha)– you want to wish people prosperity and wealth for the coming new year. Exude positive energyyyy 🙂 *Pssst, CT, listen!! :D*
2. Don’t wash your hair (don’t ask me why, but hey, I’ll gladly comply here hahaha)
3. Do not sweep your floors on that day (heck yeah! One chore-free day is worth the luck :D)
4. Make sure you wear something new. Red preferred of course! So if you have something you’ve kept and not used yet, time to bring it out and wear it! Or you can always ask your loved one to buy a new outfit for you. *methinks… moooocherrrr!! haha*
5. Give out red envelopes (aka “angpao or lysee“) with moolah to kids *ahem I am still a kid, so please, by all means, give me some angpao!! Hehe*. Anyway, my aunt told to give 2 each because “happiness comes in twos”. You pass on good fortune and luck to the next generation.
6. Do not lend, borrow, or get involved in money problems of other people. (That’s just sheer bad luck! Stay away from negative energy peeps!!)

Aiyaaaahhhh speaking of money, hey Big Spender! Yes, that’s you (or some of you hehe *ouch guilty your honor!). I’ve just gotten off the phone with an old friend of mine now, and we got to talking about the stuff we had accumulated *ahem bought* last year. Which led her to think I am a shopaholic (meaning I am sick with compulsive spending disorder or CSD… ME?!?!? *shocked*). I am out to prove her wrong because I know with 10000% certainty that I’m not. I definitely know other people who are closet- case CSD patients waiting to be discovered by Shopaholics Anonymous . Tsk. Heck people with CSD are in total denial and have closets or even rooms full of unused designer merchandise– *grumble… I am NOT one of them… haha denial* I look at my closet and I know everything I have ever bought has been used and almost abused– except for Grapes, whom I’m saving for a celebratory occasion– *ahhh she will see the light of day soon!! I already have a cause to celebrate woohooo!!!* , but this much I can say– I don’t have CSD– although I do impulse “swipes” every so often. (Eat your heart out JT! Hahaha)

So we put together a criteria for determining what qualities make one a compulsive spender. *muwahaha are we already that pathetic? If it ain’t talk about our growing pork barrels (ahem our lovehandles… aka fat), it’s shoptalk! So bear with me, this whole criteria thing is still in its rawest form, and it will definitely need tweaking. You peeps can certainly help out!! 🙂

1. You hoard. You buy like there’s no tomorrow *muwahaha*. (Umm has anyone told you, the war is over? *muwahahaha) You buy shirts or bottoms that you kinda like even if they don’t necessarily fit you well– you buy more than one simply because it’s a style you like so much that you’re afraid they’d never produce it again. You just pray they will fit you one day. Or you find a pair of shoes that fit you and you buy them in multiples.

Ok, so now I am soooo guilty of this– I have actually bought the same styles in multiples on more than one occasion. But oye, I make sure my shoes get a LOT of mileage. You’ll NEVER see my shoes “hardly” worn unless they’re serious stilettos. Check out my own “multiples” collection. (I am unashamedly revealing my sorryass shoe collection here… but take note, they’re ALL abused — especially those bejeweled thongs above hahahaha)

I got these flipflops on sale– meaning they ended up costing about Php 2,000 on average. I love them flowers!! I’m not really a Havaianas person, but these slippers, I’ll wear any day!

I don’t just buy designer brand shoes like the Giuseppe Zanotti bejeweled thongs on the right (which by the way are sooo comfortable and perfect for use day or night). *But ok, I admit, I am a label whore. Hahaha* The left pair is made by a HK shoe manufacturer. Similar style but not exactly the same. Price wise, eons of a difference!

Those Chanel purple ballet flats have been with me for over 9 years– VINTAGE!!! It’s actually older than my marriage!! The lighter blue one on the left are 3 years old. See, I may buy the same style, but I make sure I wear them over and over and over and over hahaha… Obviously to average down my cost 🙂 Does THAT make me a person with CSD?? *Come on, say NO hahaha*

2. Your credit card bills occupy most space in your wallet. Ok now this is serious ouch. I find my wallet empty of bills (as in money bills) and instead, find more white receipts than anything. No wonder credit card companies love to hound me *muwahahaha*.

3. You issue post- dated checks without balancing your checkbook. Ok I know this isn’t me. Because I’ve never really issued PDCs before…*feeling proud all of a sudden hehe… puke! holier than thou attitude!! ugh. tsk tsk unbecoming!!* although I don’t balance my checkbook either *muwahahaha bad bad bad* I gotta start checking my phantom money pit (strong emphasis on the word “phantom” please)

4. You’ve had credit cards decline when you use them or checks that you issue bounce *boing!!!*. Sheeeeyoooot. This credit card declining situation happened to me. At friggin’ Louis Vuitton, of all places! And we’re talking BOTH credit cards declined! But exqueeeze me, once only (albeit at the same time haha. Pathetic! Geeez!)! And oh, wait, another time at Tokyo too (remember, at the hotel when we were paying for our stay?) Oh Gawd… *ashamed!!* But that was the credit card company’s fault (and they have admitted it– that’s a feat! For card companies to admit they’re at fault? HAH! Success!! :D) so I am sorta *teehee* absolved hahaha. Thankfully, no bouncing check yet *hope not ever!!!*

5. You borrow money to fund your purchases. Bought too many bags, clothes, and shoes? Credit card bill comes and you have nada dinero to pay, money pit super dry, so you lie about how you acquired your debt, and borrow from your friends, relatives, and even colleagues in the workplace or business (or to some poor unfortunate soul who’s actually gullible enough to believe your “drama”). Ok this is serious ostentation sh*t here and it’s really what I despise the most (especially when you catch on to their “scheme”. Ugh… *shakes it off*). It’s sooo shameless and unethical. So I don’t do this nor do I ever wanna do this. Ever (even if I’ve been guilty of unsuccessfully begging DB to allow me to pay in terms hahaha). And neither should anyone. Borrowing money to fund luxury is a naaaaasty habit.*It’s sooo not cool and people aren’t that stupid to believe those lies forever*

6. You lie to yourself to justify the stuff you buy. “It’s a bargain buy!”… Ever hear yourself say that–ALL the time? *muwahaha* Or, even tell others “I got it cheap only” when in fact the purchase in question set you back by five months’ worth in wages? *hehehe* This has happened to some of you, yes? One way to justify your purchases to your DH: “I saved you US$800 because this bag was on sale now.” *Hahahahaha Classic!!*

7. You get easily persuaded *cough fooled is more like it* by sales associates in buying something you really don’t need. As in really don’t need– i.e. you’ve never even entered a boxing arena before for exercising purposes anyway, so why be persuaded into buying boxing gloves? *muwahahaha ouch.. umm who wants to buy my boxing gloves? brand new!! hahaha*. Or… you don’t work out or even go to the gym, but you have plenty of sneakers…. *OUCH!! Oye I use them on my trips!!! Hehe excuses excuses… Tsk the only new pair I haven’t worn are those Hogans in metallic navy! But oh heart heart!! Soon, my love. Soon :D*

8. You have no more space in your house and yet you still continue to accumulate new stuff. Refer to number 1 (hoarding). Yay, I have some space still, so I guess I’m not guilty of this *muwahahaha* (I think though I hoard a lot of receipts and they’re already filling up all my drawers… heck I even have receipts that are dated all the way back to 2001!! Vintage receipts– I’m sure they’re worth something? Hehehe… methinks of selling them… :D)

9. You buy what your friends have because you want what they have. Keeping up with the Joneses? Hmm… this is a sticky one. I’ve done that on occasion although I can’t say I get easily persuaded into liking something that I don’t really like to begin with.

10. You are currently in debt and need cash asap. Ok, I am broke now but thankfully not in debt. Yet. *Muwahahaha* So I am not selling anything of my own. And if I am, everyone will know about it hahaha. Because I sell my stuff cheap when I need cash! 😀 (Whee my bags are safe for now :D)

Boy, DH must be so proud of me. I don’t think I am considered a compulsive spender- I ticked 3 out of ten in that criteria. *Smarty alleck biatch alert*: I am what I want to call, a selective and “calculating” spender. I don’t even spend much on shoes now (Hah! I walked away from a potentially disastrous 5-figure shoe purchase from someone today, so be proud I walked off empty handed haha.. it’s either new shoes with debt, or no shoes but debt-free. I made a very wise choice *wink wink*– AnnaS, I have not yet broken that purchase ban!), but I do spend on bags– on occasions *ok I’m letting myself believe that, and so should you haha*. And luckily that doesn’t make me a compulsive spender/shopaholic (as I’d like to believe again hahaha)– or else you’d never see my ticker factory go beyond two days *muwahahaha afraid!*.

Meanwhile, Cha ching cha ching to you all for Chinese New Year 🙂 Kung Hei Fat Choi!!!!

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LITTLE BAGHAG SOPHIAP!! 🙂 Your mama DP has taught you well 🙂 🙂

P.P.S. SHAMELESS!!! (But it had to be done today since these bags are all BRAND NEW and hey, it’s already Chinese New Year’s Eve 😀 :D) Here are new “loot” from Tresormakati.com which could conceivably be that perfect “New” thing you’ll be toting for the Year of the Rat 🙂 *shameless indeed haha!* Oye, maybe exercise your being a shopaholic one last time hahaha.

Chanel Blue Caviar East West Classic Flap Bag:
Chanel Silver Ice Cube Classic Flap Bag:

Balenciaga “Blue Jean” Cornflower blue City Giant:

And while you’re all at it, get yourself a pair of D! Luxe RED earrings like these at Tresorie 🙂
Orrrr better yet, if you have the bonanza budget for real bling, pay Janina at the Peninsula Hotel a visit– she’s got a lot of nice new Indian inspired bling. Check out this spectacular peridot and tourmaline ring set in 22k yellow gold (this by the way, is a Gem Palace ring! Google Gem Palace and you’ll see they’ve already been featured in W Magazine among other high fashion glossies.)

x
Mrs.T