October is Buy Nothing New Month (BNNM). Who knew? It was started three years ago inMelbourne,Australia. The organizers of BNNM ask consumers to think about the origin of the things we buy. When you see an incredibly cheap tee-shirt, ask yourself what the real cost might be in terms of human suffering or environmental destruction.… Continue reading Thriving During Buy Nothing New Month
Category: Control Shopping
Give Up or Go On? Eight Unorthodox Suggestions for Handling the Struggle
Jill Chivers, writing on myyearwithoutclothesshopping.com, discusses some helpful ways to make it through what she calls “the struggle times.” Whether dealing with over-shopping, work stress, depression, or other trials and tribulations, she suggests eight ideas for surviving those tough periods in life: 1) don’t make any major decisions, 2) don’t make it worse with other… Continue reading Give Up or Go On? Eight Unorthodox Suggestions for Handling the Struggle
Six Shopping Addictions and How to Curb Them
Here are simple strategies to help you deal with six various shopping pitfalls: the shopping channel addict, the drugstore junkie, the big-box store hoarder, the Target cart filler, the online over spender; or a Martha Stewart wannabe? Does one of these people sound like you? If so, check out these common sense approaches in this… Continue reading Six Shopping Addictions and How to Curb Them
15 (+2) Tips to Fight the Shopping Bug
From Shopping to Saving blogger Erika shares her shopping secrets for survival. She writes her “wants” in a notebook, which also serves as a money tracker, often finding that when she comes back to it, her urge to buy is gone. Erika adds purchases to her online cart and leaves them there, returning after the… Continue reading 15 (+2) Tips to Fight the Shopping Bug
Shopping Smart & Not Settling For Less
Do you shop when bored? Are there items in your closet with the tags still on? Do you find yourself wearing something only once? Blogger Janelle says she has made all of these mistakes, but now tries to make wiser shopping choices. With your own finances and goals in mind, Janelle suggests discriminating between fast… Continue reading Shopping Smart & Not Settling For Less
Say Yes to the Dress? Only If It’s For the Right Reasons
Saving money isn’t the only reason to walk away from a purchase. The Cashgab blogger asks, “What are you avoiding when you use spending money or shopping as a means to elevate your mood?” Some suggestions: a relationship in your life that needs repair, a new goal, a realistic assessment of a partnership or marriage,… Continue reading Say Yes to the Dress? Only If It’s For the Right Reasons
“If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right”: Part 1
In a provocative titled, research-grounded, and thoroughly persuasive article in the Journal of Consumer Psychology—21 (2011) 115-125—Elizabeth W. Dunn, Daniel T. Gilbert, and Timothy D. Wilson argue that “If money doesn’t make you happy, then you probably aren’t spending it right.” In the article, they acknowledge that traditional research shows only a modest correlation between… Continue reading “If Money Doesn’t Make You Happy, Then You Probably Aren’t Spending It Right”: Part 1
10 Signs You Shop Too Much
If you are concerned that your shopping may be out of control, check yourself against this list. You lie about your purchases or hide items. You don’t talk openly about your shopping habits. Your relationships are damaged by your shopping. You shop by yourself instead of with a friend who might challenge you on a… Continue reading 10 Signs You Shop Too Much
Becoming Minimalist: Ashley’s Story
Ashley loves the “American Dream”: life with health, a home, family, and the pursuit of happiness. She feels, however, that the dream has developed into a Jekyll and Hyde situation. People seem more interested in the pursuit of wealth than anything else and happiness doesn’t necessarily follow. She feels a need for balance and a… Continue reading Becoming Minimalist: Ashley’s Story
If Your Loved One is a Compulsive Buyer
Whether, When, and How to Intervene Is your loved one a compulsive buyer? 1. How strongly would your loved one agree with these statements? My closet has a number of unopened shopping bags in it. Others might consider me a shopaholic. Much of my life revolves around buying things. I consider myself an impulse… Continue reading If Your Loved One is a Compulsive Buyer