Confessions of a shop

It starts the same way every time. You tell yourself you're just going to browse. Maybe scroll through your favourite designer's new collection, casually check out what's new on Net-a-Porter, or - God forbid - step into the mall "just to look." Then it happens. You spot the one. Maybe it's the dreamiest pair of Alaïa ballet flats, the Gucci Jackie bag in that exact shade of vintage brown, or a tweed Maje co-ord that screams "old money aesthetic." And suddenly, financial responsibility? Never heard of her.

- AASHNA REDDY

In light of the new budget being presented today, we're all supposed to be having very serious conversations about financial planning, savings, and, being responsible adults. But let's be honest - while the government is crunching numbers, some of us are just trying to figure out if we can afford that one item without completely tanking our savings.

Every shopaholic knows this feeling - the urge to own something beautiful. The way your heart speeds up, your fingers twitch to tap "Add to Cart," and your mind starts crafting the most insane justifications:

■ It's an investment piece.

■ I'll wear it all the time.

■ If not now, when?

■ It's literally fate that it's in my size.

Retail therapy or financial catastrophe?

For every girl (and let's be real, plenty of boys) in Chennai who swears they're "trying to be better with money," there's a confession waiting to be told. Like 23-year-old Rithika R, who set a strict budget for the month - only to drop ₹6,000 on a dinner at Amethyst. "I wanted to feel like that girl, and what's the point of budgeting if I'm not living?" she shrugs.

Or Santhosh M, a comic illustrator, who once panic-bought ₹50,000 worth of sneakers after a bad breakup. "It was either therapy or the Travis Scotts," he says. "I chose the cheaper option."

Then there's 19-year-old Rhia G, who made a 'no shopping' rule only to 'technically' not break it by asking her friend to buy her a dress and paying her back later. Loopholes exist for a reason.

Twenty-year-old Viscom student, Astha Shankar, admits to her own pattern of self-deception: "I try to justify things by saying, 'Oh, it's a classic piece,' even when I know I'm just buying something for the 'gram. But honestly, can I really be blamed for getting the last pair of jeans at H&M? They were calling my name."