Retail therapy. It’s the best excuse to feel good when you are battling that feeling of not being in control, when you feel like you’ve gotten a bit plump, or when you are too depressed over some other circumstances. Yes, shopping does improve your disposition even if it is short-lived. Everyone wants to look good, I’m sure, and having the right clothes, accessories, even gadgets certainly require money. Whatever your comfort buys are, they surely serve their purpose all the time and would give you feelings of being in control again but, when is too much shopping too much? Or when is the time for you to raise the red flag on your spending? Let’s analyze.
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1. You spend a considerable time shopping and going about. Really, you can go spend time at the gym or have a fun day out with friends but you instead go about the mall buying whatever you fancy. You think that your job is like mystery shopping with yourself as the company trying to assess every shop you can get into. You made shopping a hobby.
2. You shop alone. Shopping with friends is fun and they give you a gauge at how much you should be spending or they advise you if one would be a good buy for you. If you shop alone and wouldn’t want their company, it could mean (though not always) that you do not want anyone knowing the extent of your purchase. For you, having friends around means you are not in control.
3. You use credit cards for purchase. It’s normal to use credit cards when buying something but what’s not normal is when you use credit cards because you’ve depleted your salary card for too much spending the previous month. Searching for debt help terms and looking for other related topics could also be a sign that yes, you are shopping too much.
4. You lie about your loot. You don’t tell your other half or members of the family how much a product cost you. You would feel guilty at times so you say, “it was on sale that’s why I bought it.” Sometimes, you may even sneak your loot somewhere in your closet and pretend that it has been bought long ago…pretending you’ve forgotten about them totally.
5. You are ecstatic when you get your hands to anything with a price tag. Buying out of whim, an impulse – so to say, can give you that “high” feeling or that excitement that you have something new. (Trust me, I know that feeling too well.)
If you exhibit any of the above, it’s high-time you get help or be in control – not via retail therapy but a check on your spending habits. Know that shopping too much happen to many a teener and even older people. It’s not always on clothes, shoes and those, it could be on other items and whatever a person fancies. So know that you are not alone in this battle. There are a number of personal steps you can do to control the urge to shop and some of them include the following:
1. Do not go shopping when you’re in a bad mood. Try engaging in a sport to release those feelings of hate.
3. Buy only stuff you can return. So that you have the chance to get back the money in case you realize it isn’t really a good buy.
4. Leave your bank cards and credit cards when you go out. Yes, bring limited cash to gauge your spending.
If all else fails, you can always lock yourself in your room and read that book that has been collecting dust for the longest time now.
This is a great post. I love the tips, especially the buy stuff you can return, we do this. Thank you for sharing.
But I like to shop alone!! Hehehe, that said, I am the most frugal person I know. I would rather use my money on my kids.
All great tips, thanks!
Really great tips, I certainly need to gain more control. Thanks for sharing xx
i guess shopping is only good for those who really can afford it but even though you have lots of money, it’s always good to live frugally as many people are living in distress this days.
I rarely do “retail therapy” because I just can’t afford it. But when I do, it’s for stuff I need like undergarments or replacing a t-shirt that looks like a rag. But all in all, those a super great tips!
I always say “I love buying things but I hate shopping”. That is why I buy almost everything except clothes online. And you are so right about not shopping when you are in a bad mood. I find that it puts me in a worse mood.
I think the same. I use to buy all kind of stuff on line (this is an easy way to look for the best prices also).
I just loose my head on shoes. This is inevitable.
Great Tips, I need to remember to leave credit cards at home, I always end up getting way more than what I go for.
Shopping makes me happy, but I’m super cheap. When I need retail therapy, I coupon!
I can really see how shopping can get out of control! That’s why I also tell myself to shop around on big buys to find the cheapest price instead of being impulsive and spending too much….which I have been known to do.
Great post!
I Love to shop for my husband and my grand kids not for me.Thanks for the tips.
These are interesting. I actually really hate shopping lol
I do shop to destress, but not that often. I perfer to go alone though with a friend on ocassion so long as I can spend the time I want to or need to. I hate being rushed.
I don’t really have this problem, since I’m pretty frugal with money. However, several female family members of mine are absolute consumers. Not sharing information on purchases with your other half is horrible for marriage. Shopping can truly become an addiction, just like alcohol, drugs, sugar, etc. The hardest part is confronting loved ones about it.
I am a big believer in NOT shopping unless you are replacing something or actually do need (versus want) something. people need to think more about the impact of their purchases on the earth and others (including animals) before heading to the checkout.
When I was younger, I could never shop alone because I was so scared of those sales assistants that literally tail me everywhere. But now that I’ve grown up, I kinda like going on my own. But the best advice is NOT to go shopping in a bad mood. So true. (speaking from real life)
I usually know what I want or need before I go in the store, I’m not an impulse buyer.