How To: Survive Shopping With Your Girlfriend

Good news:

You have a special lady in your life. You've gone from interesting strangers across the room to partners and lovers. Bad news: The only thing she likes more than going shopping is going shopping with you in tow. Each time, it's a trip to the store that turns into an adventure into the unknown that you, as a man, may be poorly built for.

Shopping can be terrifying; it’s her territory and her rules. It can be long and unpredictable. It’s like watching your team playing on different turf and with the weather against them. Shopping with her is a direct attack to your testosterone. Hours of diving into stores await you. Muscle-aching torture is ahead as your arms scream from bags being heaped upon them. And no matter how many times you've gone shopping with her, it's always torturous.

Dread no longer; it's possible to survive shopping with your girlfriend.

Know her shopping black holes
A black hole is a giant, dead star that devours time and space, letting nothing escape. Think about it; she has stores that do the same thing. You've experienced it -- hours of her walking the same aisles with no end in sight. You've shopped with her before, so draw on that gathered knowledge. Know what store you may need to bring a magazine to, know what store you can get some shopping done with her or just know when you’ll need extra patience. If you want to survive shopping with your girlfriend, you'll need to know her habits in the wilds.

Think about what shopping means to her
For men, shopping is just shopping. We go, we buy, we leave. However, for her, there’s a store or two that actually mean something to her. Maybe it relaxes her or takes her back to fond memories. Maybe it validates her success or relieves stress. This shopping could be special for her so don’t screw it up with obvious negativity. Consider it an honor to take her to her sanctuary, even if it has hundreds of others bustling in it.

Break the day up
Take in a run to the food court, check out an unknown store or suggest a mid-shopping movie. Whatever it is, try it and you'll be that much closer to being able to survive shopping with your girlfriend. By having fun while shopping, you turn it from a them-buying and you-waiting experience to both of you enjoying being out. Break up the constant barrage of shopping with mid-shopping relief. If it’s something that you know you'll both enjoy, she'll see it as less of an attack on her shopping and more of a good romantic idea.

Bring an iPod
Whether it’s an iPod, a Kindle or a portable TV, bring it if you need it. While you’re waiting outside the dressing room, you can be enjoying the game you’re missing or relaxing to your favorite tunes. Use whatever device you need to survive. However, remember not to ignore her for your portable distraction.

There are a few more ways to survive shopping with your girlfriend coming up....

Approach it as time together
Realize this is an opportunity to get closer, to communicate and even get a few brownie points. Although you’re out shopping, still take time to talk, hold hands and be affectionate. Often, shopping is about one partner entering the world of another. You may even see sexier sides to her than you had previously known (read: lingerie store). Enter freely this strange realm and be open. You may even enjoy the places you’re going. WelI, it’s possible…

Focus on her when shopping
There will be the helpful clerk, the fragrance model or the other girl perusing the thong basket next to you, but keep your eyes in your head because the mall can be full of beautiful women. Your lovely lady is watching your watching of everyone else. Keep yourself in check.

Be patient when shopping with her
Since this is more than just shopping for her, you may get bored and impatient. However, remember that you don’t like to be rushed, so don’t do it to her. The more you show your continued interest in all parts of her (not just the obvious ones), the more that you show your growing maturity and sexiness to her. That’s a good thing.

Set a post-shopping goal
Plan a light at the end of the tunnel. Whether it’s a 7:00 p.m. movie or a 8:15 p.m. dinner reservation, have a goal that will end the shopping. Make sure it’s a goal that she agrees to and would enjoy or it will appear you’re once again attacking her shopping trip. Also, if you’re both looking forward to it, she won’t be upset about ending her one-day contribution to the economy.

survival of the fittest
So, while shopping may terrify you, there's no reason to be afraid. Remember for her it’s something special. Your joining her is more than just you coming along and it’s less “for sale” and more “foreplay” than you know.