Online Shopping Like It's My Job

Hi guys! The wonderful Kelly O'Connell from ShopAtHome.com is going to be talking to you guys today! Without further adieu, take it away Kelly!:)

Kelly O'Connell, the Content Ambassador at ShopAtHome.com, now lives in Denver, Colorado after stopovers in Berkeley, Los Angeles, and New York. While she has discovered cute clothes at shops across the country, her closet currently contains nothing to wear. Luckily, she has most likely found three perfect, new dresses at various online retailers, which are now in her shopping cart.

So, I like to shop. No, like, I mean I really like to shop. It all started with athletic shoes during my sneakerhead phase in high school.

While my 2007 Nike Jordan Lebron Zoom Soldier II's are actually still my most expensive pair, I've since matured into consuming cute shoes rather than sneakers—your classic pump, heel, boot, wedge—you know, the basics. (I just realized that all of those should be in the plural. Pumps, heels, boots, and wedges.) I must say that as I have become a "grown up," I’ve even found myself venturing into the home décor arena and dabbling in travel extravaganzas.

And don’t get me started on online shopping. Everything you’ve ever dreamt about, all of it, and all in one place! You come across things you weren’t event looking for, and next thing you know, you have a crafty taxidermy trophy made out of recycled rope hanging on your wall. I’m not going to lie to you and say that I haven't thought about tattooing my wrist with my credit card number (in Greek—stylish and safe from hackers), because I have.

Did I mention I work at an online shopping coupon site? As if I didn’t have an excuse before, now I can technically claim “it’s my job.” Literally all day long at work I find deals and coupons that are just too good not to take advantage of.

I know what you are probably thinking—I must be in horrible debt, or on my way to rehab for this addiction. But no! Despite my craze, I have made a pact with myself (and my fiancée) that I have to stick to a budget in order for this whole relationship thing to work. And those coupons sure help, too.
How did I get here? I have two theories. One: growing up in a Catholic-school uniform stifled my creative self-expression, so once the chains were detached I tried (and subconsciously continue to try) to make up for those twelve years of navy blue polyester pants and white cotton collared shirts. I acknowledge that it is a void that may never get filled...

Two: my grandmother collects owl figurines. Hundreds of owls. Small, medium, and large owls, some out on her patio, some hanging on the wall, some on the side table. There are multiple owls just on the fireplace mantle, for example. She's no hoarder, though—she just has a lot of owls.

One day at my grandmother's house, I realized the sheer volume of big, round eyes staring at me from all points in the living room. I asked her, "Grandma, why do you have so many owls?" She paused, thought for a second, and responded with all of the wisdom gained from decades developing her shopping acumen. “Hmm," she said. "I don’t really remember how it all started. I think I just liked owls.”

And maybe it’s as simple as that. I think I just like shopping.