Have You Done the CVS Money Run with Her?

Thanks to my colleague Tod for this title and question that prompted my thinking.  Tod has been dating a woman for about a year, and his friends inquired whether Tod had “done the CVS run with her yet?”  Tod sought clarification.  Apparently, it is a wonder that a woman can spend $200 in CVS in just minutes, and fit it all easily into her purse.  As a woman, this does not surprise me at all.  So why does it surprise men?

Women Buy Most Family Items

CVS major categories are beauty products, self-care, greeting cards, vitamins, over the counter medications, basic school supplies, basic home supplies, and candy. Women buy 93% of OTC medicines, 93% of groceries and food. (Bloomberg, The Female Factor). Women are most likely to buy celebratory cards, birthday candles, and school supplies too. Women always buy for others. Men typically buy for themselves.

Deliberate Temptation

When you walk into a CVS, cosmetics are positioned immediately in front. They are meant to erode the will power of time-pressured or stressed women who need a bit of ‘me’ time and don’t always feel beautiful after a tough week living in a man’s world.  There are no male cosmetics, and few male grooming products at CVS.

Breaking it Down

• The $200 of items in our purse will satisfy needs, wants and hope. Do we need to practice money mindfulness when spending? Absolutely! Probably 1/3 of creams and cosmetics we buy are half unused under the bathroom counter. I bought a lipstick and found I already owned that shade. And I only have 5 to begin with!
• If men would like to do the family shopping and care giving, many women won’t mind. We will spend less, and won’t need to face the cosmetic counters. If men would accept women without makeup, we wouldn’t need cosmetic counters, hair color, or anti-wrinkle creams at all. It would be so much cheaper if we were just allowed to be ‘us’.

Carrie Rattle is a Financial Therapist and the CEO at BehavioralCents. She is an executive veteran of the financial services industry and works with professional women on their mind and money behaviors to help them build an equal voice in the world. Thoughts always welcome: carrierattle@behavioralcents.com.