5 Stores that Make Me Want to Buy All the Things

4.08.2015


Most of my blog post topic ideas come to me organically. And by that I mean, I'm usually doing something in real life that I realize would make a good blog post. 

This is what happened to me last week when I walked out of Whole Foods carrying $58 worth of items I had no intention of buying when I walked in there. I went to buy mangos. Are there mangos in either of those bags? Nope. No mangos, but I did manage to grab garlic bread, aged English cheese, homemade guacamole, organic blue corn chips, and salmon filets, among other random (read: expensive) items I didn't need.

And thus, this post idea was born: 5 stores I really shouldn't go to because they make me want to buy all the things. I posted this question on my blog Facebook page and got a lot of responses! I'm interested to know what stores you would add to your list. 

Here are mine (in no particular order):

1. Whole Foods

The truth? I can't afford to shop at Whole Foods, and I don't make a habit of it, but something about this place makes me want to bathe in a bath of organic orange juice.

I think it's the chalkboards. Everything is written on chalkboards in there, and I can't. handle. it. Someone stop me. I'm not a vegan, nor would I ever wish to become one (because cheese), but step one foot into Whole Foods, and I'm ready to swear off animal products for the rest of my life. VEGAN BACON I LOVE YOU FOREVER.

And don't even get me started on the tiny carts.

I walk out of there cradling my locally sourced artichoke hearts and bag of flaxseed wondering who on earth I've become. And I don't hate it.

2. Target

Funny story, Target wasn't actually on my original list until everyone commented on my FB post about it. How could I forget writing this post full of GIFs about my love of Target?

Can I say anything that hasn't been said before?

Let's just say I manage to get past the giant rack of $6 tank tops (on sale for $5.85)! I get sucked into the aisle with all the cute kitchen stuff, and it's over. Never mind that I don't have enough cabinet space as it is, I NEED another light blue mixing bowl. This one has circles on it and is only $4. Come to mama.

3. Anywhere that sells stationary/greeting cards

Basically, if I walk into the greeting card aisle I WILL be buying a card, probably 5. I'm a sucker for cute, hand-drawn cards and personalized stationary. That's all I'm going to say about that.

4. Anthropologie

OMG. I have such an extreme love/hate relationship with this store. As in, I love everything in it and hate how expensive it is. I go in there just to walk around and gaze at the pretty things, but I've never actually bought anything that wasn't 90% off, because hello absurdly expensive.

I want all their dishtowels and aprons. I want to buy ceramic door handles and tiny elephant figures. I don't know.

5. Any athletic store

This is where I can really do some damage. I have way too many sweatpants as it is, but there is always room for more. Basically my capsule wardrobe would consist of only sweatpants and t-shirts if I were a homeless teenager who didn't have an actual place of business to go to every day. Darn you, real life.

So those are my top 5 picks! 
What stores make you want to blow the budget?
___________

If you liked this post, you might like:
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5 OTHER Things Other People Like that I Don't
Jenn @ Optimization Actually said...

"Come to mama" Ha! I have one Anthropologie top, and it was close to $100, so I haven't been back to buy anything else, but... it is the most flattering thing I own. So I'm always tempted. Amazon is my shopping problem. I go on intending to look at one specific home organizational item and then they start giving me suggestions, and before I know it, I have a cart full of things like pill minders, organizer trays, and napkin holders!

The Girl who Loved to Write said...

Whole foods gets me every time. And it's so expensive that I think, surely I bought groceries for the entire week. Only to get home to find I bought a coconut and some green juice.

Alicia | Jaybird: Home in Motion said...

YES! This post cracked me up. All of these stores are designed to facilitate just that experience...it's so hard to resist. I think people are right when they call Whole Foods "Whole Paycheck," not just because the goods are expensive, but because it's so easy to go into a treats frenzy!

shelleystirs said...

Carter's (as in kids' clothes), LOFT, Costco. I can only think of three. But Trader Joe's is coming to Grand Rapids (finally!) by the end of the year, and I know I'll be there a lot when it opens!

Sarah @ Sometimes Photojenik said...

Hahahaha your "capsule wardrobe" of sweats and t shirts.... AMEN to that! I am right there with you on that. Whenever I go shopping for clothes I need (a dreaded chore), I always have to remind myself that I don't need another sports bra, sweatshirt, or sweatpants. It's a problem. I would agree with you on target and I would add costco to my list. Last week we went in for deodorant and half hour later I'm walking out with a backpack that cost almost an entire month of allowance money.

Katie @ Daily Cup of Kate said...

Target and Whole Foods take all of my money! Luckily, the nearest Whole Foods is about 30 minutes away...but Target is just down the road!

Beka @ Sunshine to the Square Inch said...

I like your fun list!

Whole Foods - Okay, I like this store. BUT I definitely think it is way over priced. I also am probably a minority because I don't buy the whole 'everything has to be organic or you will die' thing. However, there are some things I really like about WF. Like the yogurt they have that has real passion fruit in it! AND you can find some things that you can't find at other stores.

Stationary Stores! YES!!!! Asia has like a whole floor dedicated to stationary and I go nuts in there. When Dave and I were engaged he forbid me to buy more journals because I was hoarding them. I still love those stationary stores! I should do a stationary giveaway on my blog sometime!

Target! I love that store but I don't buy a ton of stuff from there like most people do. I'm not sure why either. They do have fun tights though. I do know that.

Helene in Between said...

I either end up spending way too much or spend nothing because I can't afford anything. why is it so hard??

Cassie Lee @ Sage the Blog said...

YES! I have to stay out of our local running store or go in supervised hahaha same with Target.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely on Target! Oh my gosh...I can spend so much money in their clothing and home decorating departments. I also have to agree with stationary stores and I do love Anthropolgie (luckily, I don't have either of those by me if you don't count Hallmark). There's also this store in Westport, CT that I went to last summer. I think it was called Terrain....phenomenal!!!! My last would probably be Victoria's Secret because I love how their sweats fit me. :)

Sara Oss said...

It's not a store but Oakbrook Mall is the worst for me. Part of the reason that we have Amazon Prime is because it keeps us out of Target - so basically it pays for itself in that way.

I love Whole Foods but shop there fairly regularly (no HFCS means we get things like peanut butter, salad dressing, juice, etc from there always) and the products are relatively consistent. Trader Joes is a whole different story because everything is always new, limited edition or moderately exotic.

Amy @ A Desert Girl said...

Target, Trader Joes, Cost Plus World Market, and bookstores. I want allllll the stuff in allllll those stores.

Also - have you read this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-maclean/surviving-whole-foods_b_3895583.html ? Hilarious.

Rebecca Jo said...

We are on the same shopping wave length - except I'd trade out Anthropologie for Old Navy ... But Whole Foods? My bank account weeps when I leave there.

The Lady Okie said...

Last week I spent SIXTY DOLLARS on basically English aged cheese and garlic bread and organic strawberries.

When I came home, Jordan just stared at me.

The Lady Okie said...

I seriously went in there JUST for mangos.
Epic fail. I really just shouldn't go over there ever.

The Lady Okie said...

I seriously would buy all the sweatpants if I could. I love sweatpants! That's basically all I wore in high school, and let me tell you... my mom was concerned. ha!

I don't have a Costco membership, so I never go there. But I have gone a few times when they had free days, and I love that place! I definitely buy a lot of stuff when I'm there.

Caroline @ In Due Time said...

Target! Danger Danger! I use to go all the time on my lunch breaks, but now instead I head back to the gym for another workout! Saves me some money!

I do buy a few things at Whole Foods, like our meat, but I can't imagine buying all of our groceries there!! I guess people call it Whole Paycheck for a reason ;)

The Lady Okie said...

HA! I had not read that article.
"Ever notice that you don't meet poor people with special diet needs?" <--- WHY IS THIS TRUE????

See? I think I'm a funny writer until I read stuff like this. It always puts me in my place. Thanks for sharing :)

The Lady Okie said...

You have just described every shopping trip I have made to Whole Foods ever. Glad I'm not alone :)

Brittany said...

Yep. I know it's cliche, but Target is my downfall. Everything seems so cheap until you add it up and gasp at the cashier when they proudly announce the price. I also go a little crazy in Old Navy when I'm actually in the mood to try on clothes.

Ali said...

Running stores, for sure. I hate shopping for regular clothing now, because I have to try stuff on and then I feel guilty about spending the money and I probably should get back home instead of wasting time anyway... But running clothes are easy. I know my brands and sizes, and it's usually bing, bang, boom: oh, I've spent $150. How'd that happen?

I'm really glad we don't have a Whole Foods, because I would easily drop my entire monthly grocery budget on random stuff. With the excuse "but it's good for us!"

Paige @ Reasons to Come Home said...

Target definitely gets me every single time. I've somehow never managed to go to a Whole Foods and it sounds like it's best that it stays this way!

Laura said...

I'm with ya on Whole Foods. If I can avoid Target/Wal-Mart/any big box store, I do. It's so hard to research exactly which brands are ethically made and sourced, and it's just not worth it. Not everything in those stores is bad, but I don't have the time to figure it out usually. I could buy all of 10 Thousand Villages every time I walk in there. And Loft. Oh, Loft!!

Kerry @ Till Then Smile Often said...

Target, World Market and Victoria's Secret gets me every time!! I just basically hand over my wallet.

Caroline {Virginia Sweet} said...

hahaha this is a great post! Antro gets me every time....Target, can't leave there without spending at least $50 and don't even get me started on Whole Foods or Trader Joes.... You know what gets me even more is Old Navy....I buy like one of everything because it so cheap and then get to the register and have spent so much money....

Lauren M. Croke said...

Ditto to Target! On the one hand, it has everything and it's the best. On the other hand, it has everything and it's the singular most dangerous place I've ever walked into.

Leslie Lukens Martin said...

Oh, I have a huge weakness for stationery! The Papyrus store, in particular...but those cards have gotten so ridiculously expensive that I try to avoid even walking by the store so I won't be tempted!

Courtney said...

I went into Anthropolgie once. It confused me so.

I'd say my biggest budget busters are Target, TJ Maxx, and the occasional online splurge at like Carters or BabyGap.

Dang. I'm really boring.

Unknown said...

All the athletic stores all the time! And every cross trainer ever! I secretly want to wear athletic clothes all the time. Tyler and I are huge fans of outdoor stores; REI, LL Bean. I generally want to spend all the money on all things Under Armour.

Kate said...

So I've never been in Whole Foods. The first one just opened in Knoxville a few weeks ago! Weird, I know. And we got an Anthropologie a few months back, and I refuse to go because I know I won't want to spend that kind of cash. It helps that it's in a weird location. :P

But seriously. Target and LOFT are probably tied for first for me. And I'm with you on athletic stores. I'm such a sucker for all of it!

Lindsay said...

Haha this post is priceless! Winners is my store of choice, I literally spend hours upon hours there, and go back and forth to the change rooms about 100 times (they only let you take 10 items at a time, bummer, eh) and I could wander through the home section endlessly! I want it all! Thank goodness my visa card has a limit otherwise I'd be in big trouble! hehe!
-Linds

Kiki said...

You nailed it with this list (you and your blog post lists--I LOVE THEM ALL). Target gets me every time and so much so that I now expect to spend money for things that I don't actually need in the moment.

And while I don't have a Whole Foods nearby (is that a blessing or curse?), we do have a similar local store and it also gets me. I really do think that it's all about the store's environment--lighting and music and just the overall feel really does affect how much I like a store.

And then there's Anthro. I've also never set foot in one of those stores but my goooooooodness, their stuff is amazing. Just way too expensive. :)

For me, a store that makes me want to buy all the things has a good clearance section (and like quality clearance stuff)! :)

Susannah said...

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and NO! Heehee. I'd add Michael's or another craft store to my list instead of an athletic store. ;-)

Bailie @ The Hemborg Wife said...

Yep when I lived in California 1-4 all the time and then 5 even though I only ever workout at home I would want to buy all the perfectly matched workout outfits!

Kristen Skelton said...

Your commentary on Whole Foods cracked. me. up. because yes to all the things, especially the tiny carts! If there is a tiny cart involved, I must have it. There is something about that store- and I don't shop there often either- that makes me want to become a foodie in the worst way, making things with weird ingredients I've never heard of. My other one I love that I rarely shop in but would want to is Pottery Barn. I often joke that I wish the whole catalog would just throw up all over my house.

Rachel said...

Athletic stores would totally be on Angel's list of best places to have a spending spree. Random fact: when I was 10 I won a $200 gift card to Toys R Us, as you can imagine, at the time, that was a super awesome spending-spree kind of store, but even then, I carefully thought through every purchase, made sure that some of my choices would benefit my siblings, and added up everything perfectly, including calculations for the sales tax.
As you can probably tell from that tale, I'm not usually much of a spending spree kind of gal--although certain events can spur me to buy things way more than certain stores can (i.e. baby nephew, upcoming party, a move to a new house). My favorite stores to wander and decide what I'd spend imaginary money on are, to this day, toy stores (hey, they have cool stuff!), book stores, and craft supply stores.

Miss Nutralicious said...

Great list! Have you ever seen this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUUWhole ? Your tiny cart reference reminded me of it! My top 5 would probably include Costco and World Market. I go to Costco with plans to buy one large pack of Gatorade and I end up spending 90 bucks only to leave with a 100 pack of string cheese, a 20 pound bag of trail mix and a gallon of maple syrup. And World Market? It's just addicting to me. I love all of the stuff in that store.

Unknown said...

Ha! Great idea for a post, Amanda!

We don't have Target or Whole Foods over here, but I must say IKEA is a no-no for me (that is, if I don't want to end up broke by the end of the day and with ten house plants that don't even fit into our house). And athletic stores, whether online or real, are very hard to resist too.

Hayley G / Roots & Whim said...

This is so amazing! I second pretty much everything you said. Whole Foods is the freaking WORST. I did a vegan challenge last year and went there ONE TIME during the challenge to grocery shop (because whoely expensive, amiright?)....anyway, I left with vegan cookie dough.

17 Perth said...

Let's try that again ;)......yes! I agree with u completely on all of these. Haha. Whole foods? My weakness is always the $10 cheese area. Lol. Target? It's crazy how I suddenly have a bazillion things in my cart that I think I "need"! Haha. I've been known to put half back as I'm walking to the check out aisle. Lol

The Lady Okie said...

OH MY GOSH.
I can't even talk about the cheese aisle. Just never mind.

The Lady Okie said...

I am a huge gift person (as in, I love giving gifts), so occasions definitely spur me to buy this too. I actually just ordered my sister flowers to be delivered on her 18th birthday. Flowers are EXPENSIVE, but I totally don't care when it's for someone else! I think it's fun. I act like that with gift cards too sometimes like you did with your $200. I feel like I need to buy something that I will really like with it and that's useful! It's so nice of you to get things that could benefit your siblings too. That doesn't surprise me, though. You seem like a really thoughtful person.

sarah e said...

Oh my goodness - I know the feeling! I've often referred to Lowes / Hobby Lobby / JoAnne Fabrics as my budget-busting trifecta. Realistically, it's a bermuda triangle...if they were all in the same parking lot, I might never be seen again!

Sam said...

COMPLETELY agree with all of these!!! I love just walking through the aisles of Whole Foods and looking at everything!! It's all about the atmosphere!

Allison said...

I always joke that I shouldn't be allowed in bookstores unsupervised. I've gotten better at Target and Trader Joe's (as long as I avoid the freezer aisle with all the treats), but man, it's a struggle.

Kristen said...

i have only ever bought 1 thing from Anthro - a pretty copy of pride & prejudice. i walked in and straight back out because i could feel my bank account dwindling just standing there! my stores are goodwill and tj maxx (especially the workout stuff) because everything is so cheap i'm like oh it's only $5-$10 and then I have 10-20 things and suddenly I'm broke. ouch.

Holly said...

Target--YES. Greeting cards and stationary--I AM BROKE. Doesn't matter if that's Staples or a cute little boutique...I want all the office supplies and stationary forever.

Rach said...

Oh man, yes. Target gets me, haha!

Jenna Griffin | Gold & Bloom said...

I can't EVER walk out of WF without their homemade guac! Oh my gosh, so good. Even thought I had some this weekend...craving it now thanks to you. :) Anthro and I definitely have a love-hate going on...I LOVE their clothes...but dang..really? 90 dollars for a tshirt? I got a bday coupon last week so I went to use it. I decided on a really pretty green top, and the way it was cut made me feel AWESOME, so I got it. I can only afford to shop there once a year. Ha.

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