If you’re like most women, shopping can be a fun, uplifting experience. For some women, though, shopping can become an addiction that results in damaging emotional and financial consequences. If you’re struggling with a shopping addiction, here are some tips to help you deal with it. First, if your shopping is damaging your finances and… Continue reading Shop ‘Til You Drop? 10 Tips to Beat a Shopping Addiction
Category: Money Behaviors
Strategies to End Shopping Addiction
We are becoming familiar with the signs of shopping addictions: the “shopping to feel better” syndrome, the out of control credit card debt, the emotional rollercoaster. Here are a few ways to get a handle on the situation. Steer clear of temptation. Delay big purchases. Ask yourself if you really need that purchase. Find other… Continue reading Strategies to End Shopping Addiction
How to Take Yourself on a “Money Date”
A “money date” is something you might find quite rewarding. It may be spontaneous or planned, brief or extended, on your own or with your loved ones, but essentially, it is time spent connecting with your money. In this article are some ideas for things to do on your money date: 1) Login to you… Continue reading How to Take Yourself on a “Money Date”
Should You and Your Honey Merge Your Money? Or Not…?
There are many answers to the question of whether or not to comingle finances. Surprisingly, some couples actually merge their finances as they are divorcing. Some maintain separate accounts their entire relationship. Some comingle monies when they have a child or when they get married. Every situation is different and, according to the author of this… Continue reading Should You and Your Honey Merge Your Money? Or Not…?
Kick Your Bad Shopping Habits
Enjoying the occasional shopping trip is not unusual by any means, but one too many shopping sprees can mean financial ruin and emotional distress. If you love to shop, learn to know when to give it a rest to maintain your financial health. If you use shopping to comfort yourself emotionally, you should take a… Continue reading Kick Your Bad Shopping Habits
Seven Deadly Spending Traps
Carole Moore at Bankrate.com lists seven shopping traps to be avoided: 1.) Shopping as a hobby or a sport. 2.) Shopping sites on the internet – after all, it’s called “the net” or “the web” for a reason. 3.) Having to own the latest technology – skip an update or two. 4.) Mistaking shortcuts for… Continue reading Seven Deadly Spending Traps
Money Can’t Buy Happiness
With a shopping addiction comes an idea that each purchase will improve one’s happiness, creating an artificial “high” that an addict thinks will last. This is not the case, and although happiness spikes before a purchase it ultimately returns to a baseline level afterward. People known as “high-materialist” consumers have (often unreasonably) high expectations about… Continue reading Money Can’t Buy Happiness
Don’t Let Entertainment Bust Your Budget
It is recommended by financial planners to allocate around five percent of your income for an entertainment budget. Unfortunately for your budgeting, the entertainment industry would like you to spend much more than that. Movies, video games, casinos, and dining can all eat away at your budget very quickly. Saving money can be as simple… Continue reading Don’t Let Entertainment Bust Your Budget
Common Items Women Buy But Just Don’t Wear
If you’re looking at your shopping habits and wondering where to start reining in your spending, take a moment to consider how many things women buy but never wear. It’s possible that you can relate to some of these situations! For example, if you buy something just because it’s on a really great sale but… Continue reading Common Items Women Buy But Just Don’t Wear
Shopping Addiction and Trains: Brakeman Choo-Chooses a New Route
A few weeks ago, I was a guest on the Diane Rehm show about shopping addiction, along with a 25 year veteran of Debtors Anonymous and the President of the Financial Therapy Association. I figured we’d be reaching a typical audience of female compulsive buyers that were overspending on clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, and personal services and… Continue reading Shopping Addiction and Trains: Brakeman Choo-Chooses a New Route