Belarusians are spending more in stores and shopping more actively. For some people, shopping trips in search of new items have become a way of life, a pleasure, and a hobby. Two of our compatriots and one compatriot told „Zerkalo“ about their endless purchases and explained why they do it.
„Nothing was needed, but I still searched for something to buy“
Alisa (names of the material’s heroes have been changed) grew up in a modest family where instead of the desired Barbie doll or a beautiful dress for her birthday, her mother would give her something necessary, like a coat for the season or boots. Often, the girl would wear hand-me-downs from her cousins and brothers, sometimes she would find old dresses of her mother’s in the attic and alter them to fit her – she wanted to diversify her wardrobe. A holiday for Alisa was when acquaintances from Germany started sending her clothes, outgrown by their daughter.
Then the girl went to university and during summer vacation, she went to Germany for a part-time job – she worked as a waitress in a bar. Alisa recalls that she earned about 800 euros in a month and it was during that time that she spent a lot of money on her first shopping spree.
„I went to a large shopping center in a big city, bought various items there for 1000 euros: several dresses, three denim jackets, a leather jacket with fringe, several pairs of shoes, lingerie, pants, leggings, and much more. I also bought a large acid pink suitcase and filled it with my new clothes. I remember everyone saw this suitcase and joked, saying, ‚Look at your makeup bag!'“ Alisa says.
Alisa says that she still remembers the feeling of inspiration and excitement she got during shopping. She was happy that she had new things, including fancy ones, that she had never even dreamed of before.
„A few years ago, I started working in IT, and for my work in Belarus, I first earned 300 dollars, then my income became 3000 dollars. Obviously, with such income, I could afford to buy anything I liked. However, there were times when I spent all my money, didn’t make it to the next paycheck, and then started using a credit card,“ she says.
The girl said that when she received her salary, she first paid the necessary bills – utilities, installments, and so on, and then went to Wildberries in search of „something interesting.“
„In essence, I didn’t need anything, but I still aimlessly browsed online storefronts and searched for something to buy. As a result, I made many spontaneous purchases. But I bought not only clothes but also electronics, some household items,“ she says.
Now, together with her husband, the Belarusian has moved to Poland, and her current income also allows her to live comfortably. Today, her wardrobe is bursting with clothes, but Alisa doesn’t stop buying new ones. She says she doesn’t chase after expensive exclusive brands; she has items from mass-market stores in her wardrobe, but she mostly orders products online, from Chinese marketplaces.
„I have a lot of different dresses, probably more than 20, but I don’t stop buying them, even though I have nowhere to wear them. Also, five pairs of sneakers, several pairs of other shoes. Recently, I ordered two swimsuits, tops, dresses, cowboy clothes, and accessories on Temu – I need them for a photoshoot. However, I now try to restrain myself with purchases: first, I add what I like to the cart, and then I go there and delete some items,“ she says.
When there are too many items in the closet, Alisa packs them in bags and gives them to those in need, for example, refugees from Ukraine. She doesn’t want to sell her wardrobe, saying that „it’s a hassle,“ and she doesn’t need money right now.
„My husband reacts calmly to my purchases, and our budget doesn’t suffer from it – we both allocate money for a joint budget, and with the remaining amount, we dispose of it at our discretion. Because of all these acquisitions, I have only one problem: we travel a lot, sometimes live in different countries for several months, and when moving, I can’t fit all my things in suitcases that are comfortable to move with,“ she says.
Recently, Alisa has been able to save some of her salary. Next year, the couple wants to buy their own home – which is much more important than an extra dress or high heels.
„I couldn’t find anything interesting. It literally broke me because of that“
Minsk resident Larisa loves to „hunt“ in thrift stores. She used to go to the Zhodino market every weekend „like to work“ and rummage through piles of clothes in search of „something special for pennies.“ The woman says that at home, her closets were bursting with clothes, and much of what she bought she never wore and just gave to friends.
„In essence, I didn’t need things anymore, but I still shopped to the fullest every time. By the way, there was a moment when I couldn’t buy anything in the thrift store for several weekends: I couldn’t find anything interesting. It literally broke me because of that. Then I found a wholesale thrift store, went there, and bought a 25-kilogram bag of clothes. I remember how I enjoyed sorting through it,“ the interlocutor recalls.
Less than a year ago, Larisa moved from Belarus to the Netherlands, taking only the essentials with her, and the closets filled with thrift store finds were left behind. However, the woman quickly settled into her new place, found local flea markets, and became a frequent visitor there.
„The thrift here is completely different – better in quality, and there is clothing and shoes that are sold very cheaply. There are also many shops that sell home goods – kitchen utensils, dishes, paintings, vases, furniture, and more,“ she says.
The woman said that now she „hunts“ for thrift not only in her city but also in neighboring ones, combining it with walks and exploring the area. In a few months, she has filled her closet again, now she has a lot of different clothes and shoes for different seasons. For example, about ten pairs of sneakers, six pairs of high-heeled shoes (although she has nowhere to wear them), about eight to ten jackets, more than ten dresses, about 15 bags of various sizes, and much more.
The woman also enjoys decorating her home with various thrift store „interior pieces.“ She loves vases, and since moving, she has bought more than 30 of them.
„I understand that I already have everything I need and don’t need anything else. But sometimes I walk around and see a thrift store. I think, I’ll just go in to see out of curiosity. And when I see almost new quality sneakers for ten euros, I can’t help but buy them. I think, well, let it be in reserve,“ she says.
„I recently found sneakers, it was such a discovery that I have them“
„As long as I can remember, I have loved shopping, there were just different opportunities at different times. Now, with a very good income (I won’t say the figure), I can endlessly buy what I like – branded shoes,“ said our compatriot Timur, who now lives in Europe and has his own business.
The man recalls that when he lived in Minsk, it was quite difficult for him to buy exclusive shoes: there were only a few interesting stores in the capital, and the selection was limited, with prices „sky-high.“ Therefore, the Belarusian preferred to shop abroad, where he often traveled for business.
Timur noted that he buys shoes not on sale (most of the time, the desired model and size are not available there), but at full price. He buys many models in Italy, for example, he likes to shop at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, often visits stores in Rome, Bologna. He shopped in Dubai when he was on vacation there. Now the Belarusian lives in Warsaw, so he walks around local galleries three to four times a week.
Currently, the cheapest shoes for Timur are loafers for 450 euros, which he bought in Dubai, and the most expensive pair costs around 1200 euros. The man says that he wears different models every day, sometimes changing them several times a day.
„My favorite brand is Louis Vuitton. But unfortunately, there are times when there is nothing left to buy: everything I liked from the old collection has already been purchased, and the new season’s shoes may look similar to the old ones. But don’t think that I’m some pretentious person, I’m completely ordinary, it’s just very comfortable to walk in expensive and high-quality shoes, especially since I have a special foot and my feet often hurt,“ he says.
The interlocutor hesitates to say how many pairs of shoes he has. He noted that even his son has about 40 pairs, which means he has many more. Most of the wardrobe of the apartment is filled with boxes of various types of shoes, sneakers, loafers, boots, and some more are in a small closet in the parking lot.
„I give my son shoes that didn’t fit me or that I didn’t like, sometimes that happens. Sometimes a pair doesn’t suit me or my son, or I just don’t like it, then I try to get rid of it. Sometimes I forget about a certain model, for example, I recently found Jimmy Choo sneakers (in Minsk, you can buy them for about 1500 rubles. – Ed.), it was such a discovery that I have them. I don’t really like them, but I bought them for some reason,“ he says.
The Belarusian admitted that if there is no interesting footwear during shopping trips, he and his wife start looking at other items. For example, the interlocutor’s wife loves designer handbags, and in two years of marriage, she has collected about ten of them. The couple is also interested in Cartier jewelry (although they buy them less often than shoes or bags). And when these items are no longer available, they switch to buying something simple, like t-shirts.
„But we’re not sick to buy just anything, we also choose, there is no goal to buy everything indiscriminately. We don’t plan to stop shopping; it’s our hobby, we enjoy it so much. Although if before any purchase caused interest, pleasure, now sometimes it becomes routine,“ he says.
In conclusion, the article provides a detailed and engaging look into the shopping habits of Belarusians, showcasing different perspectives and experiences with shopping as a lifestyle, pleasure, and hobby. The stories of Alisa, Larisa, and Timur offer insights into the motivations and behaviors of individuals when it comes to shopping, highlighting the diversity of preferences and approaches to consumerism. The structured format of the article ensures clarity and readability, making it informative and engaging for the readers.