Today of course was "Cyber Monday," so I hopped around on the interwebs pricing TVs that I have no business buying (The green spot on my 25 y/o CRT TV is only the size of an index card. It's not worth replacing yet.) I couldn't help but laugh when I saw this on Ryther Camera's website.
I need to end my addiction to online shopping. And I think there may be an easy solution.
If you use the Firefox or Chrome web browsers you can download something called a "site blocker" to add to your browser. These are features you add to your browser. You specify which sites you want to block on your machine. You can always go back and give yourself permission to view the sites again. Okay, so you won't be cured, but at least it makes you stop for a minute and thing about what you're doing ;o) Here's how:
1. in Chrome, google "siteblocker add-on."
2. Download it.
3. Restart your browser.
4. Set the sites you want to keep yourself from using by going to the "window" menu and clicking "extensions." You'll see SiteBlock listed. Click "options" and add the sites.
5. Now go do this on all your web browsers.
You can also do this in FireFox and the procedure is much the same. It's harder in IE, but possible.
I've added eBay, half.com, Amazon, Macy's, and several other online stores that I patronize far too frequently. Now when I type in "www.amazon.com" all I get is this:
I'll let you know how it goes for me...let me know how it goes for you!
Fingers crossed for you!
ReplyDeleteI did something similar with FaceBook...and it was off in a couple hours. For some reason, I have *so* much self-control (like when it comes to food, etc.), but ZERO self-control when it comes to my Interwebz habits. Maybe I'll give it another shot (and I'm already thinking that I will just undo it haha...oy vey.)
I'm rooting for your too! Recognizing the problem is a big step.. On-line shopping is just too easy. Now, I buy most things on-line because I hate going to the stores, but my shopping compulsion is pretty much gone so now I just take the good and leave the bad of on-line shopping. I don't browse unless there is something specific I need. Then I put stuff I think of buying, into the virtual shopping basket, and think it over for a few days or weeks, depending on what and how urgent it is..
ReplyDeleteI think that's how a lot of us got started with online shopping. The allure of the "oh, I can avoid going to the stores" or the "I'll buy less because there won't be any salespeople" seems to get trumped by how easy it is to browse online stores.
DeleteIs it wrong that I think that SiteBlock message should be a little more aggressive? Like if you could customize it to block groups of sites for reasons. Like you could do all your online shopping sites and then have it say "Reason blocked: CREDIT CARD DEBT." Or Facebook--"Reason blocked: Stalking is unattractive."
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT!! I also wouldn't mind a version where a gigantic hand with a mallet would burst out of my computer screen and whack me on the head. Sometimes I really need to be hit over the head to change.
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