I went to the mall this week.  I went to buy a birthday card at the mall  (yes, have been inundated with birthdays these few months) and realized as I was walking through the mall in my sweatpants, without make up on, and pretty much looking like a homeless person, I hadn’t been the the mall since February.  It has been NINE months since I’ve been to the mall.  That was pretty shocking to me since I used to get withdrawal symptoms for not going to the mall on a weekly basis.  It also didn’t help that I worked in the mall during university.

I was tempted by all the shiny things, all the marketing, the promotions, but thankfully I was pressed for time and didn’t stop by these shops.  Otherwise, who knows what kind of damage I might do.

I do enjoy walking through the mall, and I enjoy people watching and sometimes I wonder how often these people I see walking through the mall regularly come to the mall?  I reckon that people who are walking quickly like I did don’t go to malls that often… because like me, they want to “get in and get out”.

Which got me curious to take a general poll (though it might be biased since most commenters are PF bloggers and we KNOW how PF bloggers have some sort of invisible shield that prevents impulsive tempations to head to the mall).

Readers, how often do you go to the mall? Are you a “get in get out” kind of guy or gal? Or a meandering type of shopper who enjoys the process?

PF Blog Love

• Sandy from yes I am cheap wants to know if you think she’s driven or if she’s a workaholic.  Do you think there’s a difference?
• Financial Samurai discusses about how improving at golf is analogous to improving at life.  Both are impossible after a while.
• Like me, Boomer and Echo also enjoy talking about depressing subjects (oh you know I do!  like my advanced care planning post or my will post), and talks about how Power of Attorneys are important.
• Invest it Wisely teaches us how to back up stuff on the Cloud.  When I did my IOS upgrade for my iPhone 4, I was offered to sign up for the Cloud.  I still don’t know how to use it because I am a technophobe like that.
• How to Save Money (.ca) shares 11 car buying tips (and all 11 of them are fantastic tips)
• My Own Advisor tallies up the vote on your take of the BEST Canadian bank stocks to own 
• As I digest the lobster I ate (you can read all about it on twitter), Miss T from Prairie Eco Thrifter talks about the eco-friendly benefits of being vegetarian
• My fellow Vancouverite and fellow Virgo, Dividend Ninja is giving away Gail Vaz Oxlade’s new book, Never Too Late.  Head on over to enter! I know I did
• Little House in the Valley talks about selling the American Dream
• Fabulously Frugirl shares some lessons she learned while dog sitting (though not for my dog lol)
• My University Money has a great post on how to do well on exams (I must have mind-read this post because I did well on my midterm… woot!)
• The Wealth Canadian practises what he preaches and puts his Ride in the Tide portfolio in action

Have a great weekend guys!  One week before Halloween when all the girls have a seemingly valid excuse to dress skanky!

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I know that as Canadians and Americans, we like to hang out at the mall.  We must, because otherwise there wouldn’t be so many people in them every time I venture in.  (I think… “what recession??” when I venture into the mall).  I used to work in a mall when I was working at a department store in high school and university.  I know how dangerous they can be- I think I was spending a lot of what I was making!!  Shopping on my breaks.  Taking advantage of the sales in the shops.  So I would be perusing the shops at the mall at least twice a week.

Nowadays, I go maybe… a few times a year?  I don’t go unless I absolutely need something (or when I need to Christmas present shop).  I really can’t window shop. I can’t (especially when there are end of season sales tempting me).

That’s why, when today, Mr. youngandthrifty wanted to get a haircut at the mall, and asked me to come with him, I thought “ughhh!! I will have to test my will power again!”   Initially, I thought I would do some more grocery shopping for an hour (but I did some earlier that day already and got everything I needed for the week.. basically I was lying to myself- giving myself an excuse to go to the mall) so I ended up checking out some of the clothing shops.

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