Shock! Horror!

I am a woman who likes to shop! I bet you saw that coming.

Seriously, though, I love shopping. I read catalogs all the time (in fact I have ordered free ones to be sent to me) and I can while away a happy hour on eBay.

The trick, though, is that I dislike spending money. I get a perverse kick out of buying things at the places that I've decided I'm "allowed" to spend money (like Target or the grocery store) but I hate seeing the final total and handing over my debit card. Not enough to make me want to put it back, but still.

But for most everything else in the world (exhibit A, the Improvements or Frontgate catalogs, or really any catalog having to do with crap you don't need in your house but looks really useful) I like looking at it a lot more than actually owning it. Reading the Frontgate catalog lets me daydream about having a house where I could actually create a moveable patio with interlocking plastic tiles in the backyard, or install a trellis with a seat that also stores garden tools. Maybe in the future I'll be worse about buying those things, when I actually have a house, but I just like to window shop for now.