Slightly out in left field, but Dresslover made me think of an example our pastor used last week on differences between men/women: He would spend $10 for a $5 item because he *needs* it. His wife would spend $5 for a $10 item she *doesn't* need because it's on sale.

Anyway, back to NAS secret shopping. . .

Rae, you are clearly a Very Thoughtful Person.

@MNsara - Yes! That is exactly it!

Hahaha, this thread is a hoot!

Jonesy, I'm so glad that you were able to bring him over to the dark side.

I think that I through a mix of luck and effort, I've managed to keep my guy from getting too worried when a giant order shows up. I've basically framed it as the best option for him to have a say in what I wear without having to go to the mall with me, and he likes that. He (luckily) likes to say what he likes and doesn't like, and to help me decide what fits best, all without leaving the couch! I also tend to emphasize what a great deal something was (I got this for 40% off!) rather than how much it cost ($135 is 40% off of $225!).

Also, I see no need to mention the dollar amount until after making returns, unless it's to point out what an absurd hassle it is to have to order so much to find the perfect items. I've ordered thousand of dollars of shoes from Zappos so far this year, but I've only kept two pairs for a total of about $200. Last year I ordered over a thousand dollars worth of bras so that I could try on everything that I was even remotely interested in, and try different sizes, and I kept two of them for a total of about $120. In the world of returns, it's only what you keep that matters!

Hmm, there is something in being the financial director in my house and paying all the bills - no reporting to anyone.
But I still hope I can return this stuff before credit card payment is required...

I am on team "hide packages in truck" and slowly let them "appear" in my outfits.

Hee hee - tell him the dollar amount you expect to keep before you tell him how much you actually spent. And make your returns decisions quickly so he sees the pile of what's going back and not just what's arriving.

There's also much to be said about the power of favourite meals and sexy lingerie

LOL, Beth, I sure am!

The funny thing is that we don't even mingle our funds... the boy just has this underlying fear that I'll turn into a high-maintenance crazyperson who can't control her shopping. In his defense, this has happened to multiple other people we know... :T

I'm with Sveta - since I pay all the bills, and have all the online accounts, noone needs to know but me!

I did take back $800 worth to Nordie's this morning, though, in anticipation of the *next* round of multiple sizes and colors to try and return. Last year I was out of town when all of the NAS goodies arrived, and my neighbor (who was bringing in the mail) had a LOT of questions for me when I got home!

I usually tell the hubster what I will be spending. I think I helped him understand a couple of years ago when he wanted to get his neice a Chanel bag for her college graduation. I found one from a previous season that was heavily discounted to $1,400. It was the perfect bag, he loved it! I said OK, it's heavily discounted and will only be $1,400. You thought we just had a major earthquake by the look on his face...then he said meekly, " I thought Chanel would be $500 max"...oh no mon amoure! Let me teach you about high end designer bags. In the end he understood that the value (ie: that she'd be wearing that bag for about 20 years and the cost over that length of time would be less expensive that buying a new bag every 2 years that costs $500) and the sentimentality of him giving it to her is more than justified. However, there are those times when I hear, "do you really need another white blouse?" LOL...

It's funny, but this is not a problem in my house at all, yet I still feel self conscious about things like the two giant boxes that just came from Piperlime with five pairs of shoes and some accessories. Even though the last time my husband and I went shopping, I ended up falling in love with a bunch of dresses in a boutique that was a bit pricey and when I was debating which to buy, he was like, "Oh, whatever, just buy them all as long as you love them." I know I shouldn't be embarrassed about my shopping, but I still am! I worry he's going to think I'm a spendthrift!

Teehee! I usually tell my husband what the FINAL budget will end up being and then it doesn't matter what happens in between. Though he knows it usually goes a bit over that Mostly he just laughs at how much stuff I return.

Hah! Great thread, Kim! I missed NAS last year so I am using that excuse to justify my spending this year.

Jonesy, you are a genious!

Oh QueenMum, i feel your pain I am reading your thread and thinking It could have been written by me!! LOL I am with Lisa I am SO on team hide in car and let them show up in a new outfit and tell hubby when he says is that new?? I go what?? no had it for weeks babe!!!!

I'm glad you can all commiserate with me. My hubby never complains either, and I do handle the finances, but there is just something about having so much stuff delivered that makes me just a tad self-conscience. Men just don't shop the same way we do and so they don't completely understand.
When I make my final decisions, the new goodies will get hung in the closet just like they've been there all along... and we'll play the "is that new?"... "what, this old thing?" game... he's on to me, but it's fun.
now I need to decide if I am going to hit the "purchase" button for this mornings round of picks (mostly bras)

Thank you for the best giggle I have had today. My poor hubby would freak! He has just been on the phone to me (having checked our credit card statement) to tell me he thinks my hairdresser may have accidentally overcharged me... she didn't! I don't know what he would do if he saw a bill come in for $1700 from my favourite department store lol. Ladies do have fun with your new purchases... say to Nordstroms deliver to Australia???

haha- yes, my husband thinks a haircut should cost $10.
and yes, I do believe that Nordstrom ships to Australia.

I'm like Sveta and Sarah -- I'm the one paying all the bills, so no problem with my husband freaking out about totals.

But the truth is, my husband is the one who got me hooked on Nordies in the first place. I still am and have always been a bargain hunter, but it wasn't until he and I got together that I started buying full-price items at higher end stores -- because he does! He has not only a difficult body to shop for (very tall and thin, he actually gets his shirts custom tailored), but he has gained an appreciation for nicer quality stuff.

I'm always proud when he looks at something new that I'm wearing and guesses the price "$80? $100?" and I answer "Nope! $25 at Marshalls!" Hehe.

However, I cant help but be stealthy about my purchases sometimes. I'm sure it's a holdover from my mom "hiding" shopping bags from dad, but it usually just happens when I feel like I've been buying a lot. Like this week!

I may or may not have placed a $1,200-plus order myself last night. *shuffle* Most of which will be returned, but a girl needs options! LOL

It's times like these that I'm glad my hubby is away from home most of the time...

Oh I feel so much better about my $250 NAS purchase yesterday. Plus another $250 to be spent today (using one debit card and one credit card due to self-imposed credit limits!). I tend not to purchase duplicates.

I do wish sellers would ship things in one box rather than everything coming separately. It makes it look so much worse!

And am I the only one who feels just buried in all that cardboard and plastic? I've taken to returning the items in their cardboard boxes and leaving the boxes in the store with the returned item.

I do too Mary K! But the worst of it is that I have 2 bags of eBay potential stuff so I keep some boxes for that eventuality. I have 15 stored in our shed! The problem is, I work 6 days a week often 9 plus hours, do you think I have the time to sell on eBay?

Above is probably a very good definition of "hoarder" or at least, "pack rat."

*raises hand* MaryK, I so do that. I always peel my name and address off the box just in case it gets reused though. And ugh, the plastic. For me it's the biggest downside of online shopping because it is so utterly wasteful. I wonder how many poor plastic trees are murdered in cold sap during NAS season...

Online shopping isn't too popular in Germany, so I don't have this problem. ALTHOUGH because credit cards are regarded with distrust here, some stores just mail you the bill with the clothes, and if you make your return promptly there is no out of pocket cost.

ETA: forgot to add I will pray for you

squee-- I see that Nordies has completed my order, and every single item has the same tracking number. That is a miracle.
Now we all need to pray that it comes on a week day.

Yay!

Oh, Queen Mother, as your princess mother of boys disciple, I'm reading what happens here with avid interest! I think this is an apt time to bring out my all time favourite saying "Sometimes it's better to seek forgiveness, than to ask permission..."

I feel very guilty about buying things for myself. I return a lot of things...

Kim! I was counting on you to be my non-shopping buddy! Now it sounds as though you have really fallen into the deep end of the pool - and I'm just sitting here on the edge with one toe dangling in the NAS waters wondering if maybe I should test the waters??

WHAT AM I SAYING!??? Somebody please slap some sense into me - AND, Kim I think the least you can do is send over to me your bottle of wine. I'm soooo going to need it!

Well, ladies, I have to tell you that it cuts both ways.

One of my male friends used to have his baseball card purchases shipped to my office so his wife would not see them.