Whenever you have the urge to overshop, explore your ambivalence. Ask, “What does my heart say? What would be good about shopping?” Then ask, “What does my head say? What would be not so good about shopping?” Take the time to refine these questions by making four lists:
1. the short and long term benefits of stopping overshopping;
2. the short and long term costs of stopping overshopping;
3. the short and long term benefits of continuing to overshop;
4. the short and long term costs of continuing to overshop.
When you’re finished, you’ll have a detailed view of both sides of the equation. The process of preparing this view will help you to make more informed decisions about your shopping behavior.
Carrie 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.