shopaholic
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shopaholic
| Sun, 02-27-2005 - 9:02am |
hello,
I am new here but I am a shopoholic. Whenever I feel down, I shop. I have tons and tons od clothes that I don't need nor can I afford but here i am. Shop, shop, shop. I have started selling alot of my items on ebay to recapture some of my money. What do the rest of you do for this horrid weakness?????

Hello and welcome to the board!
I have had bouts with compulsive shopping in the past, and I have definitely managed to get things under control.
All my best,
Danni
Occasionally I have problems shopping as well. When I feel down, a new pair of shoes or some makeup product always seems like it is a "must have." Sometimes I let myself go to the mall or shopping center without my money. (You can also window shop after hours). This prevents me from spending any money but lets me browse.
I have also found that the dollar store can be a fun place to shop. I can get new lotion, new nail polish etc for only $1 - that way I feel like I have splurged on myself while still being frugal.
I like the idea of the library. I tend to spend way too much on books and that would definitely help me!
good luck~
Susan
The library is wonderful, not just for books, but also movies too! Our local library has books, movies (both children's and non-children's), music CDs (lots of new releases), magazines, and even computer software that can all be checked out. I also like checking out books-on-tape to listen to while I'm soaking in the tub. I dont have to worry about wet pages, etc.....I just put the tape player in the next room and turn it up so I can hear it in the bathroom. :-D
Pat
oh, me too.
I second Danni in that decluttering has removed the want for more stuff, as I know I'm going to have to find a place for anything that I buy.
But I really like to buy stuff, especially when I've been working hard. I don't know how to stop this, except by completely avoiding malls and WalMart. I can window shop along the street, and for some reason don't feel the same compulsion to buy things, but I cannot go into a mall during store hours.
You can probably overcome it the same way people with other addictions overcome it - avoid it as much as possible and replace it with something else.
In Dublin in the 1800s, a man named Matt Talbot was a falling-down drunk. When he finally hit bottom, he decided to give up drinking for 3 months. During those 3 months, any time he wasn't at work, he went to church and prayed, not just to give him something to do but also so he couldn't be found by his drinking buddies. In other words, he filled up his time with something better so he wouldn't be tempted by the thing he had come to hate. This was 50 years before AA was started, and Matt Talbot's method is still used for counseling alcoholics.
When I was single and childless, I used to go to the mall 3-4 times a week (I have no idea why, it's not like there's anything new from 2 days prior!). Once I had kids, I spent less and less time, and now I go maybe once a month for only what I need. In other words, something better has filled my time.
If you don't have kids, find something else. Exercise, take classes, begin volunteering for an organization that requires your time more than once a week, develop your spiritual life, all of the above. Find things that transcend your moods, and shopping will start to seem like a poor substitute for the better things.
Kelly