Secrets to splurging

The basics: Roam around in a mall, unsupervised, for the better part of an evening. The mall will ideally have stores such as Forever 21, Mango, I.P. Zone, Espirit, John Little, Cotton On, Bodyshop, Charles and Keith, Popular and several smaller boutiques specializing in costume jewelery, quirky hand bags, sandals and hair bands.

Chances of splurging increase exponentially with situational circumstances such as the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), discounts for Citibank credit card customers, seasonal clearance sales, ridiculously good looking male sales assistants, and weak (or absent) will power.

Being accompanied by a shopaholic girlfriend (or a recovering shoe addict who has since donated 3 of her 36 pairs of heels to charity) greatly increases the chances of impulse purchases, loss of the sense of time, fits of hysterical giggling near changing rooms, pseudo modeling worthy of Project Runway, and a lot of fun.

The flip side: Splurging can often also result in cognitive dissonance upon returning home and unpacking one's purchases, chronic depression at the end of the month when credit card statements arrive, further trips to Ikea and Home-Fix in futile attempts at wardrobe space expansion/storage, and having to then find the perfect pair of heels to match that brand new turquoise top.

But hey, women were born with this God-given right (and weakness?). We might as well make the most of it ;)