I am a shop-aholic. There, I said it. That’s the first step to admitting you have a problem, right?
Out of Control
I’ve always loved shopping. From my pre-teens to my early twenties (and beyond), shopping has been a big part of my life. Power shopping—spending an entire day “in the trenches” doing my thing—has always been where it’s at. The thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the purchase, and of course, the rush of bringing home oodles of new clothes and shoes are a part of who I am.
Here’s where things got out of control. I worked within five minutes of a mall and would pop over during my lunch hour. I rarely came home empty handed because I could always seem to find something I needed. It felt great! What a fun way to break up the workday. Reality check: I realized I was spending a good chunk of my earnings on things I didn’t even need.
It’s on Sale!
Sale racks were (and still are!) my biggest weakness. How can you argue with a sale? You’re going to come out spending less than you would have paying full price, so what’s the harm? Sale racks can be a blessing and a curse. Sure, you may find that gem of a deal, but you are also likely to buy unnecessary stuff – all for the sake of a discounted price.
And so, I clamped down on super-spending and minimized my shopping. And you know what? The thrill is still there! I haven’t deprived myself of the joys of shopping, but my bank account is breathing much easier these days. You can do it too.
Overcoming Your Shopping Addiction
If you think your shopping has become an obsession, there are steps you can take to curb your habit:
1. Assess your spending. Are you spending too much? Is it impacting your ability to pay bills? Are your credit card bills out of control? If you’re in the red, you need to halt your shopping ways and get your bank account back on track.
2. Take up window shopping. We all love the feeling of taking home bags of clothes and other items from our latest shopping conquest. Psst. Here’s a secret. You can actually go window shopping, come home empty handed (and with more money in your wallet) and still feel good.
3. Give yourself an allowance. Maybe this is easier said than done, but if you give yourself a weekly or monthly amount that you can spend on shopping, it goes a long way towards curing you of your shopping obsession.
4. Resist store credit cards. Hey, free money, right? Not exactly—you’ll pay back, and heavily, with the inflated interest rates. Steer clear of store credit cards altogether.
5. Ask yourself if you really need the item. This is where you take impulse buying and stop it in its tracks. How many times have you been overtaken by a good deal or the feeling that you just had to have something? Take a moment (and a deep breath) and decide if you need another pair of shoes to add to your overstuffed closet. Chances are you’ll find that it’s not as much a necessity as you first thought.
