Shopping Compulsions, Irrational buying

[MrDavidAlan]

Do you all have issues when shopping in regards to having a compulsion to buy stuff simply because you don't know what you want and you will "figure it out latter"?

Example:

I went to go get cashews, however once at the store I could not figure out what kind of nuts I wanted (Though, technically a cashew is a legume)... so I ended up buying like 12 different kinds (some were mixes).

Or...

Buying irrationally (in a different sense than the above, though that was pretty irrational)...

I ordered some Purel hand sanitizing wipes... However I wasn't sure how many I should have, so I ordered a bulk purchase of 1,000 of them.

Or... I have a giant fear of running out of stuff... I currently could probably go for a year without buying toilet paper, laundry detergent, dish-washing detergent, etc... and still have enough to last through a nuclear holocaust.

And, I didn't make these purchasing decisions based on any sales to stock up and save money, simply out of being irrational in my buying.

[Pandemonium]

I sort of have it... Not that extreme I think, but if I like something I'm scared the stores won't have it anymore and I buy it on stock.
I have 5 bottles of my current favourite shower gel at home, not counting the open one. I'm not sure if this is ADD though or just some sort of mild OCD, where I have my routines and usual smells that I need. I hate trying out new stuff.

I tend to buy way too much when grocery shopping though. I don't think about what I actually want to cook or how much I need, that would completely overwhelm me and going into a store is enough stress on me as it is.

[SquarePeg]

I do buy stuff without knowing what it really is. It just looks good or interesting on the packet and I can never be bothered to actually read what it is.

Why can´t I read packaging or instructions? THe times I have messed up because I never read the instructions, just the first line and then I guess the rest.

[Twiggy]

I have the opposite "problem": I don't buy any new things unless I really really need them. Like at the last minute.
Even when I do need to buy something I procrastinate on it.

[Plognark]

Yep, sure do. Hoarding runs in my family.

Overstimulating on vyvanse with caffeine put my collecting impulses into overdrive. I'm doing much better now, although my workshop has some awesome stuff in it now

I'm training myself to stop, take a breath, and try to think through purchases before I make them now.

And no more aimless wandering through Home Depot or the hardware store.

[Plognark]

Originally Posted by SquarePeg

I do buy stuff without knowing what it really is. It just looks good or interesting on the packet and I can never be bothered to actually read what it is.

Why can´t I read packaging or instructions? THe times I have messed up because I never read the instructions, just the first line and then I guess the rest.

I do that too. I think it's part general impulsivity and part "collector's high".