Destroying a jewellery obsession

I can imagine destroying any kind of obsession is difficult, and in each case, depending on what you could be obsessed with, it is different. I have had recent obsessions with clothes and accessories, in that I buy anything that is remotely cheap, and think, “Wow, I now have loads of things to wear”. The uncool thing is, I’m a serial bargain hunter, so I look for things on sale almost all year round. My habit was particularly awful though, because getting more bang for your buck was something I took literally. If something was on sale, I wouldn’t just buy it – I would buy all associated products and walk out with a giant load from that store.

In essence, my habit of buying cheap things encompassed the following:

  • Buying stuff I don’t need
  • Buying cheap stuff I don’t need
  • Buying cheap stuff in bulk
  • Buying things in bulk
  • Buying things I don’t need in bulk

Buying a nice, $5 ring that was originally $20 and something I would never buy at full price, was something that turned into buying large amounts of jewellery en masse, spending $100 in a hit, on almost thirty pieces of jewellery I almost knew I wouldn’t wear. It was just, “That’s nice, and it’s cheap, I’m saving money”. Newsflash Georgie, you aren’t saving money if you’re buying junk.

This probably isn’t the simplest or best idea, but sometimes it was best for me to just start over. I threw out a lot of clothes and jewellery or gave them away. I had made bad decisions, or hadn’t really made decisions at all, on these items. I felt like it would be refreshing to move on from them and start over, making wise decisions from the beginning.

I obviously don’t wear large amounts of jewellery every day. In fact, over time, wearing so many rings became irritating. People asked how I could type with so many on my fingers, and it was easy, but I soon found that it was nicer to have longer-lasting silver rings than a lot of cheap, easily-broken fashion pieces. Recently, I emptied my jewellery box and put aside all the pieces of jewellery I didn’t wear often, and ones that I didn’t like that much anymore. There was a lot of it, and I knew I hadn’t worn them because I had gotten over them after a few days of wear.

I’ve been spending a bit more money on quality jewellery, and really valuing it. Less is more. While I have written about not putting too much sentimental value into things, when it comes to making purchases, a well-thought-out decision can go far.

I know that I can be picky with jewellery, and I spend a lot of time looking for something nice and making sure I like it before I buy it. In the past, discount sales and deals would lure me in and make me buy more pieces. When I went to the jewellery store the other day, I spotted quite a few things on sale. I also had a 30% off voucher for any full priced items. I thought pretty hard about some of the pieces I had my eyes on. I found a bright blue bangle for $5, but after a bit of thought, and trying it on, I realised it was too big for my arm and had a shape I didn’t quite like, even though I was in love with the colour. The only thing I spotted that I was close to buying was a cute pair of jigsaw puzzle earrings, but I didn’t feel like I wanted to buy them right then and there.

It reminds me of a quote my friend Rachel shared with me:

If it’s not a “hell yes”, it’s a no.

I’ve tried to think this way for a while, not just with purchases but with most decisions in life.

When I started receiving more bracelets from my Helene Jewels Arm Party Club subscription box, I started to appreciate the bracelets I was getting more. Sure, I hadn’t even picked them out myself, but I spent more money on the subscription than I have on most of the fashion jewellery I currently own, and I was paying for good quality stuff that I liked, wearing the bracelets regularly. It was a bonus that I had no idea what the jewellery was like, but ended up liking it. To be honest, it saves me a bit of time in the store, thinking, “Am I just here to spend money or do I actually need jewellery? Damn, that looks pretty…”

I liked that I had spent a little more money on a good subscription and would receive a nice piece each month, instead of splurging great amounts on cheap rubbish every time there was a sale.

I love jewellery, and I honestly look forward to sharing more timeless, classic and long-lasting pieces that won’t just make their hit in a Fashion Friday edition once and then get forgotten or thrown out.

Damn you, consumerism.

Comments on this post

I have a bad habit of doing the same, I did a few weeks ago in Equip. I actually got some that I was going to send to you…. Maybe I should take them out? >.<

Hehe! Like I said on Twitter, don’t worry about it! Gifts are gifts. :) *hug*

obsession, huh. i quite have an obsession with shoes. or maybe it hasn’t reached that point…yet. and i kind of drool over video games too so yeah, there’s that. however, all those obsessions are killed by the reality that i am poor. i can’t afford them on my own 😰 i sorta kinda have a thing for trying out drugstore products too – like hair dye boxes and some skincare/makeup though not the point of obsession. it’s like, they are some of the things i’d go for if i’m filthy rich or something pfft

like you, when things are on sale, i tend to a giant load of stuff from said store. i don’t always buy those things (again, i’m poor) but let say H&M is having year end sale, you bet i am gonna enter the shop and look for clothes that fit my forte. sometimes, when i’m high, i tend to go to H&M to satisfy my craving for new skinny jeans so yeah…turning poorer THAT soon. 😒

i don’t think i’m a keen bargain hunter though. i mean, for example: my cousin tend to go to this bunch of cute stores selling stuff like adorable paper crafts and other misc items and she can’t resist but buy them – you know, the stuff like cute notebooks and sticky notes or stickers, etc. even if they’re cheap, i don’t like spending on them; i guess i kind of think that they’re useless and only useful because they look adorable. plus, these kinds of cute misc stuff are just gonna end up as junk because most of the time it’s gonna be “ahhh they’re too cute to be used. i’m not gonna use them because what if they run out?”

so yeah, i’d rather spend on a skinny jeans than those (but of course, can’t buy clothes in massive bulk. hella expensive!!). i think it’s also because this is how my parents think: if the item is unique and difficult to find elsewhere, it’s worth the spending (still, price tag is something that need to be clarified). it’s also what i apply most of the time when i buy shoes (usually and especially sneakers) /bounce

i agree with “less is more” and with what your friend, rachel said. my parents always tell me not to force on purchases unless it’s extremely massively kickass awesome. if it’s something ordinary and common and tagged with expensive price then it’s not worth it.

I am not much of a shopper…. especially when it comes to accessories but I do buy them when they are available at cheaper rates. Especially when I am travelling in the train. In Mumbai, you get all sorts of stuff in the ladies compartment on the local train and earrings, hair bands and clips is super cheap and that’s what I tend to buy in bulk and then wonder if I I would even use it!
I have sensitive ears and I avoid wearing earrings for long hours thanks to that and these cheap jewelry even tends to be to delicate and weak and breaks easily! So I try to avoid buying it or throw it once I don’t need it!

When I was in Indonesia when I was younger, people in street markets would sell beaded bracelets for only $2, and I would buy so many of them. I didn’t even like them all, they were just cheap.

I learned the hard way with cheap earrings too. The skin on my ears became heavily affected by the fake, cheap earrings I was wearing and I had already had a reaction from it when I decided to buy better earrings. I now stick with sterling silver or hypoallergenic earrings to avoid that. And that is very true about some jewellery just breaking after one use!