So predictable.

We break up, I swear it's over, and then it sneaks back into my inbox with an offer that seems way too good to be true.

And yes, I fall for it. Cos maybe this time it'll be different. Spoiler alert: it's never different.

I'm talking about EOFY sales, by the way. I'm almost addicted to the rush of adrenaline I get when I click "Add to Cart." The same excitement while I wait for it to arrive. The same feeling of instant gratification.

Honestly, it's not that different from my 11-month, on-again, off-again Hinge situationship. The outcome usually ends in disappointment on my end, followed by me swearing I'll set stronger boundaries... yet somehow convincing myself to give it another chance.

If you think about it, I'm basically a modern-day Carrie Bradshaw. Comparing my dating life to shopping.

Every year I tell myself it'll be different. That I'll only buy things I actually need. That I won't get distracted by countdown timers, epic discounts, or subject lines written entirely in capital letters.

Yet somehow, there I am, three tabs deep, convincing myself that because something is 40% off, it'd be irresponsible not to buy it.

The thing is, unlike my Hinge situationship, EOFY sales don't just impact me (or my housemates who have to listen to me complain about it for the 300th time).

A lot of those impulse purchases end up becoming clutter we never really needed in the first place. They get shoved in drawers, forgotten at the back of wardrobes, donated a few months later, or replaced long before they've reached the end of their life.

And honestly, if it was a crime in the conscious fashion court, consider me GUILTY. I've bought things because the discount felt too good to pass up. I've convinced myself I was "saving money" with “girl math”. Or my personal favourite: "Future me is definitely going to wear this to that event I’m not even invited to yet."

Don't get me wrong, divas. The problem isn't treating yourself to something you'll genuinely use and love. If you've been eyeing something off for months, need to replace something that's worn out, or you've finally found the perfect pair of sandals you'll wear on repeat (and if you're looking for some, I happen to know a really great brand), then go for it.

The problem is when the sale becomes the reason for buying something. I'll out myself for a second, not that I haven't done enough of that already in this blog post, but I've caught myself searching for a discount code and somehow ending up browsing things that weren't on my wishlist five minutes earlier.

That's when I have to clock myself and realise the sale is doing the shopping, not me. And look, I'm not pretending I'm above it because, frankly, who can blame me? I'm literally just a girl.

Heck, by the time this blog goes live, there's a very, VERY real chance I've already bought something I absolutely didn't need. But lately, I've been trying to ask myself one simple question:

Would I still buy this if it wasn't on sale?

If the answer is yes, amazing. Go for it, queen. Open the floodgates. Shop your wishlist.

If the answer is, "Well technically, I'm saving money..." then maybe it's time to close the tab and go touch some grass. (With my hands, cos my feet are in BFFs of course.)

So if you're scrolling EOFY sales or hunting for the best bargains  this year, this isn't me telling you not to buy anything.

It's just a reminder from someone who has repeatedly gone back to both questionable men and questionable purchases…

Sometimes it works out. Most of the time it doesn't. And sometimes the most sustainable thing in my cart is leaving it there.

- Kurai (Social Media and Content Producer) xx