Perhaps you have a suspicion that you may have a shopping addiction.
Once upon a time, I loved the thrill that came with acquiring new, expensive things. It’s somewhat of an adrenaline rush for many of us out there.
I treat this subject very seriously and I’m sensitive to others that may be going through a shopping addiction.
This article is for those that want to change for the better.
Side Personal Note: I will say that sometimes I walk through my home, or even look in the garage, and think about all of the dollars spent on items I did not need. I wish I had discovered sooner that the things in life that matter, can’t be purchased on my credit cards.
What Triggers Your Shopping Addiction?
Is there someone or something that influences your addiction? Think of a trigger that makes you want to spend.
We’re going to give six broad triggers with solutions to help you out of the cycle you’re in. Although you may think your shopping addiction is limited to one trigger, read each to see where you can relate.
Seeing A Sale Online Trigger
What Happens
Do you see something on sale and say “Wow! That’s a fantastic deal!”. Because it happens to me all the time. I am thinking of a particular website with limited time deals that are amazing.
When we are online, the deals come at us from all over the place. For example, you could be reading articles all day about your shopping addiction and how to curb it. However, suddenly there are shopping sale advertisements plastered on every page that you visit.
The Solution
Delete any bookmarked pages for “deal websites”. If you can’t see the deal, you can’t buy it.
If it wasn’t already on your mental list of needed items, you can get by without having it. Therefore, know what is needed and what is not.
You aren’t going to be able to completely stay away from advertisements, but do what you can to limit your exposure. Step up and unsubscribe to any emails you have coming in from all companies. When you start changing your browsing habits, the ads that are shown to you should start changing as well.
Department Store Credit Cards Trigger
What Happens
Sure, maybe you have one or two (or more) department store credit cards. I have one myself. It’s about to be my birthday and they just sent me all kinds of coupons that appear to be irresistible. They have your email address, your phone number, and your home address. They monitor how often you are coming in and your patterns.
These stores know what you’re spending money on and what could possible trigger you to come back into their store. In short, they’re actually kind of brilliant.
The Solution
Cancel the cards. Could it impact your credit score? Eh, possibly. Could this save you hundreds or thousands of dollars? Absolutely.
When I was younger, I would walk into the department store where I have a card and spend more than I would at any other store. Sure, the department store was ok but there were other department stores that sold the exact same items.
The problem was the card itself. I had a pretty high limit and I liked spending. Therefore, I didn’t use credit cards wisely.
Plus, the credit cards are sending you all of these fabulous deals and advertisements in the mail. This will stop once you cancel the card.
In conclusion, cancel the card.
A Friend Or Family Member Trigger
What Happens
Your BFF loves to shop. She loves your company and you surely love spending time with her. You didn’t plan to go out shopping that day, but your friend called up and you’ve never told her no before. In summary, it’s what you guys have always done and it’s your special getaway place.
The Solution
Make a new getaway place. If you truly enjoy each other’s company more than spending the dollars, always remember that you can enjoy company free of charge. I’m not saying limit your time together to talking over the phone or even limiting your visits to each other’s houses. You can definitely still go out.
There are an enormous amount of things you can do together outside of shopping.
Honestly, you may even be in a situation where your friend feels the same way about having a shopping addiction. The best thing you can do to find out is to be open and speak to her about it. However, if the conversation goes sideways, check out my article on Financial Peer Pressure.
You’ve Got The Money Trigger
What Happens
You’ve got money leftover at the end of every month. You see it just sitting there. It’s calling your name. You can’t not see it – because it goes right into your bank account and grins at you. It’s freaking adorable.
In addition, you aren’t only spending on yourself – you enjoy purchasing for others. This isn’t money you needed and you’ve got free time to fill up – thus shopping fills your voids.
The Solution
Find out what you feel is an allowable limit to spend on shopping every month. Maybe it’s $500 on spending outside of the necessity items. (It’s just a suggestion, ladies – if you think $5,000 is your number, go for it – because it’s your budget)
To begin with, start by contributing more to investment accounts. If you aren’t maxing out your employer 401(k) plan, certainly max it out. Put those dollars to work for you so you aren’t looking inside your closet five years from now wondering what could have been. Make sure that the “excessive amount” of money is at least partially being applied into other investment accounts.
Finally, if you need a side hobby to fill a void, consider investing in real estate with your extra coins. This could turn into a completely new, exciting hobby for you. Going to open houses and scoping out neighborhoods is fun!
However, if investing in your 401(k) plan or in real estate doesn’t sound fun at all, investing in yourself should. Consider using the extra funds to invest in yourself by continuing your education or starting up your own business.
You Step Into A Store And It’s All Downhill From There Trigger
What Happens
I most definitely feel your pain. I can’t leave Target without spending $100+ even if I only went in for a few items. You don’t purposely try to spend. It’s literally the store’s fault (…..).
Although you’ve made a list of items like you’ve read to do to help keep you on task, you fail. The problem is that you see things and remember that you do need those things as well. Finally, you get off task and immediately lose the list and begin shopping throughout the entire store.
The Solution
Do not step foot into a store. Everyone has curbside pickup. If they don’t, they are way behind their competitors. Find a different store.
The curbside pickup parking spots are flashing at us every time we pull up to the store. It’s convenient and saves so much of your precious time.
Create your order online. Prior to visiting the website, make a list of the items you need. Place only those items into the search box, find the item, and add it to the cart. Know the items you and your family may need and stick to those items.
Will you see advertisements and “items you bought last time” flashing in front of you? Yes. However, I can tell you from experience that you are much more likely to stick to your list by shopping online than you are in store with a list.
Loneliness Trigger
What Happens
Perhaps you’ve found yourself with too much free time. Maybe your children are no longer small and need you. Perhaps your significant other travels and you’re left trying to occupy your time.
Maybe the problem is deeper and you have lost someone.
Regardless of the reason, something does not feel right.
The Solution
Please check out this page on How to Deal With Loneliness. There’s a chat and call option if you’d like to open up and speak with someone.
There are some fantastic suggestions on dealing with loneliness, such as reaching out to other friends and family members or finding a new pet. đź’–
Finding A Shopping Addiction Solution May Involve Help From Others
If you feel a high during shopping, but guilt afterwards and you’re in a cycle you cannot break, help is out there. Letting people in and knowing about your addiction will help you stop the cycle.
If you are feeling any type of depression, I suggest visiting your primary care doctor for additional guidance. A doctor can absolutely guide you down the right path.
Finally, realize that you are never alone.
Final Personal Thoughts on A Shopping Addiction
Coming to the realization that you may have a shopping addiction is the first step.
Slowly, you can change your mindset. It took me a while, but I have. I now often notice when people around me are spending on things they don’t need simply to be buying something.
Ultimately, I find more pleasure in things like spending time with my family and traveling. I value a picture with my family together a thousand times more than a Coach bag.
Experiences and memories will stay with me forever.
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