When you want to go shopping, try this instead. . .

It's the day after Christmas, and my inbox is flooded with door buster deals from all my favorite stores: Target, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Nobles. "Think of all the money I could save by purchasing now?" my spend happy fingers yell at me. 

But wait-- what do I really need? Haven't I just received some really special gifts from my husband and friends? Will I even want to put up Christmas lights next year? Do I really need all the $3.50 Christmas fragrances from Bath & Body works? No, no I don't. In an effort to de-clutter my life and live as simply as possible, going shopping right now just to get the deals is counter-productive.

So instead of going shopping, I have made an aggressive to-do list. It goes like this: 

1. Work ahead on homework for the upcoming semester. 

2. Finish all thank you notes for Baby T. (This is a bit ambitious, but at least I can finish the majority of the notes.) 

3. Drop off clothes I don't wear at Goodwill. 

4. Host a friend for coffee and cookies this afternoon.

5. Start the laundry. 

I know that by taking care of things I should be working on anyways will feel good and help me reach my short-term goals instead of just using my time and money on my materialistic urges. How do you fight off the urge to go shopping when the deals are hot? Do you think it's a good idea to go shopping on these sale days?