WHILE THE KETTLE BOILS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 48, 24 May 1940, Page 43

WHILE THE KETTLE BOILS

Dear Friends, There are two classes of women in the world — the shoppers and, well, those that don’t! I've been trying to classify myself, and I’m afraid I occupy some nebulous class between. I like shopping, when I’ve plenty of money in my purse, and no nagging conscience on guard over my spending. But unfortunately those occasions are few. . Still, this is a business world, and we poor "wimmen" make up the shopping bulk of it. So we might as well do it as pleasantly and remuneratively as possible. Here are a few shopping hints that will bear thinking about: To begin with, qa good shopper must be a born diplomat, a shrewd economist, and a bit of a conjurer. A successful shopper gets what she wants-but only because she: knows what she wants. It is such a temptation to dither round. There is more to it than even that. The good shopper treats all shopkeepers and assistants with courtesy and tact, and she gets that back-and a little more. Above all, she must keep a clear mind about a bargain, and weigh the pros and cons before temptation overtakes her. The problem is to know just when it costs less to spend more. The secret is to shop with a system, which mean-a shopping list. If women took the trouble to know a little more about the goods they buy, there would be less waste and more success in purchasing.

The next important thing is to allow yourself plenty of time. You can’t expect to come out on top if you dash in to make an important purchase a few minutes before closing time. You'll probably find when you get home that it isn’t what you wanted at all. The pitfall is that so many of us are impulsive and stubborn. We set our hearts on getting a certain thing-on a certain day-and we get it, if it kills us. Then we wonder why we're dissatisfied, and we blame the goods, or the shop, or anything handy. The shops are there at your service always, remember that. When we come to think how shopping has been simplified these last few years, we wonder how ever we got on when we were left to our own devices. We have only to look at the readymade frock departments in our various stores. Many of us can walk into these to-day and walk out again with a new frock on our backs. To sum it up, the essence of a good shopper is to know when to distinguish between what is good enough and what is merely extravagant. If you mark all these points, you will go a long way towards saving your feet — and avoiding a headache, Yours Cordially,

Cynthia