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Author Louann Brizendine, Ph.D., says women are extra vulnerable to spending at two times during the month: around ovulation and at the end of their cycles. The hormones involved in ovulation can make women feel “more flirtatious,” which may lead to buying beauty products or clothing. Just before a woman’s period begins, she may feel… Continue reading How Hormones Can Sabotage Your Spending

A recent study in the U.K. shows that compulsive shopping tends to run in families, and that 80% of compulsive shoppers are women. Other disorders, such as personality and obsessive compulsiveness, are often experienced by over-shoppers as well. Blogger Elle Martinez defines compulsive spending and offers resources to deal with the disorder. She suggests destroying… Continue reading Why Are 80% of Compulsive Shoppers Female?

A medication that treats impulsivity in Alzheimer’s patients may also work for compulsive shoppers, according to a new study in the May issue of Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. Although memantine is still in the clinical testing phase, it has been shown to be effective in a variety of disorders that cause people to have difficulty… Continue reading Alzheimer’s Drug Curbs Compulsive Buying in Shopaholics

Author Matt Madeiro says, “We’ve grown used to idleness.” Between sitting in an office all day and crashing on the sofa in the evening, our lives are very sedentary. Madeiro has come up with some ways to incorporate movement into our lives. He suggests setting a timer to remind you to stretch and walk. You… Continue reading The 9-5 Guide to Staying Active

A cigarette and martini lifestyle wasn’t great for your health, but Americans did borrow smarter in the mid-century. Banking was more personal and relationship-oriented, credit card debt was rare, as most people paid with cash, and loans were available at local shops with low or no interest. Saving was the norm as were Christmas clubs… Continue reading ‘Mad Men’ money: Credit in the smoking era

Gasoline prices $5 a gallon this summer? Could happen, so here are some tips to cope. Comparison shop for gas prices; there are even apps for that! Keeping tires inflated and changing the air filter can also contribute to fuel efficiency. What can you remove from your trunk or from the top of your car?… Continue reading How To Save Money on Gas: A Practical Guide

Men and women have very different approaches when it comes to shopping. Women tend to search for the best deals and often shopping becomes a time consuming hobby or emotional release. Men, however, go into a store with a target purchase in mind and with less regard for cost. They take as little time as… Continue reading What Men Can Teach Women About Shopping

Your browser does not support iframes. Carrie RattleCarrie Rattle is a Principal at BehavioralCents.com, a website for women focused on mind and money behaviors. She has worked in the financial services industry for 20+ years and hopes to inspire women to better prepare themselves for financial independence. Read More

For many compulsive buyers, a big part of the appeal of shopping is the process of searching out and obtaining that new, better, desirable item. This process is so mesmerizing that it often overrides long-term financial plans, leaving shoppers deeply in debt. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Through the magic of swap—and in… Continue reading Don’t Shop, Swap! (Redux)

Last Wednesday, I had a delightful and very informative Skype call with Jill Chivers, an Australian woman who took her compulsive buying bull by the horns. She decided that for a full year she’d refrain from buying any new clothes and shop only in her own closet.  The experiment resulted first in a blog and… Continue reading Shopping Your Own Closet