Do you buy something new every month?

“Buying a new item monthly outside the basics? Most of this can be linked to impulse buying and the women are most guilty,” said Mr. Fred Ainoje.

“This question should be directed to the women folk, no man is likely to do that,” Mr. Ajibola Adeleke said as he pointed in the direction of his wife with a mischievous grin.

Sam Okorie’s response differs from those of Mr. Ainoje and Adeleke. Not because Okorie buys the basic necessities monthly but because these include works of art and jewelry. Art works, necessity or impulse buying, jewelry for you or for your woman? Okorie answered: “All of the above. I do them, seriously. ” He then adds that women are best to respond to the question knowing they are the housekeepers and managers.”

In response to her husband, Mrs. Lucy Adeleke said, “Ask him how many ties he has and if he remembers where he put the sets he bought in July or in August let alone the ones before them. Since I married him seven years ago, I have never heard my husband condemn a tie. They always look ‘wonderful’ even when a blind man can tell that they are not and can be done without. If the reason for marrying him were his appraisal of ties, I’d have run away.” His taste is terrible she said, laughing.

Whereas for Mr. Emman Shehu a new item every month means a new book, CDs and such things, for Ruonah Godwin-Agbroko-Meyer it means ensuring she buys a very formal dress monthly.

According to her it is a case of necessity and buying for the sake of it. “I have need for them because I like to go for meetings or an interview in a new dress. But yes, I have consistently done this for three years and have had to give out and donate the clothes. But yes, my great indulgence is a new formal dress.”

Moukhtar Umar Kofa answered comically. “I buy provisions every month; things like soup, detergent, sugar, cosmetics and food ingredients. These things are what we routinely buy every month and which are for our (my wife and I) collective use.

He reveals that he may be guilty of having a monthly ‘unnecessary’ pleasure. “On personal use level, I buy a shoe every month for myself. One may wonder why a shoe is a need to me. I love shoes more than I can describe. There are just two of us in the house.

In response to Okorie, Ini Otuk said, “If you saw something very good and you had half the purchasing power would you not make a down payment just to have it? I think you should save the purchasing power thing. After all lots of African women are very good at what I’m saying here.”

Mrs. Joy Amazu said luxurious shopping is not a monthly routine for her but necessities like food are. “I buy new clothes mostly annually and I plan my wardrobe around a few key pieces in certain colours. Bags are my love and I have bought one or two a year for the last 20 years. I have a beautiful collection …. I only buy luxuries when I have taken care of everything else and saved some.”