I have a confession to make. I’m thoroughly addicted to online shopping.

I realised this when my middle child told me their aims in life were to have a job that earns lots of money so they can sit in bed and order lots of stuff off Amazon… eek!!!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bankrupting my family for my shopping, I’m actually a bit of a spend thrift and love a sale and a bargain. I rarely buy full price clothes, and I hunt out the cheapest deals going. But I just do it very often.

I’m on first name terms with our postman, the amazon delivery guys, the DHL folk and the UPS man. I’d say I get 3-10 parcels a week and I realise this is probably a bit naughty.

I think it started when I got ill, when I wasn’t able to get out and about to the shops alone, I found the ease and accessibility of online shopping a real help to my life.

Whether I’m bed bound, in pain or have had 5 bag leaks that day, I can still buy anything I need. I can shop online whilst on the loo, naked and from bed! I think I’d get kicked out of our shopping centre if I turned up in my birthday suit with just an ostomy bag and a smile!

Amazon is my worst, we have amazon prime which gives free next day delivery and so I’m forever clicking a few times and buying bits for around the house or things I’ve noticed we are lacking.

But im also bad for other stores too. If I get an email telling me that there’s a sale on, I’m like a pig in mud! Woop! Look, I just bought some boots on sale, a little plate in the shape of a llama and a wall shelf shaped like a rainbow that holds very little (all genuine purchases this year.)

I have a problem with sleeping, though I’m exhausted I can often sit awake till 3 or 4am and this is the witching hour… the time where my idle hands creep over to my phone and hit the shops, the time when I do my worst purchases! Sometimes I think I dreamt I bought things till they actually turn up in the post!!!

Now this isn’t a problem financially, as I said, I’m not spending huge amounts of money and I can afford everything I buy.

But it kind of surprised me to realise that this is me, I would never in a million years describe myself as a shopaholic. I see myself as someone who likes Home made things, I’m a gardener, a crafter, I sew and bake. I think of shopaholics as some sort of Made in Chelsea/Towie self obsessed consumer who is all about buying new things and whose worth is based on what products they buy. (I realise this sounds judgmental!!)

Thats just not who I see myself as, yet in making all these random purchases, I am not being my true self.

Online shopping is an absolute life line, especially for someone like myself who works full time, has a chronic illness and a busy life. But there’s a time and place and buying air drying hair rollers at 3am isn’t the place!

So I’m setting myself a challenge, I wil not buy anything online for the next month, I’ll also not buy things in store apart from our grocery shopping.

I have a house full of stuff and I don’t need most of the crap I buy and I thought this would be an interesting challenge for myself to see if I can change this habit that I’ve fallen into!

I’m already struggling! H&M just sent me an email about their mid season sale and without thinking I popped a dress and a pair of trousers in my basket before throwing my phone down in horror! (They were VERY pretty!)

I also admit a little prep time in March where I bought a couple of pressies for birthdays in April.

Anyway, wish me luck!

No buying April!

Sam xx