Hello fellow shopaholics. I’ve been a shopaholic all my life, it’s been a winding road. Shopping has always made me feel so happy in the moment, and sometimes later on as well, however as I age I realize that I’m actually very sad and angry with myself when my parcels arrive, or when I look at my Visa statement…I also tend to go on shopping binges and can’t seem to stop, and then I catch myself and stop for a moment and then back at it again…Just realizing now that this is an addiction…it’s like a game of looking for that perfect item at the perfect price for me, it’s exhausting…it takes up so much of my time (the online shopping/scrolling for items) and then the money-spending aspect as well…I’ve always been in debt, ever since I’ve been 16, and that’s because of the shopping and not being able to live within my means. The more I made, the more I spent… THIS NEEDS TO STOP, I know better, but as any addiction…it’s hard. So here I am, looking for fellow shopping addicts to chat with and see maybe we can talk and share and work together to find ways to heal our addiction and lessen the effects. Sending everyone so much love and understanding, shopping-addiction is real and like any addiction it’s tough to beat and it hurts…in so many ways…
Hugs and welcome. What are some things you are doing to help beat the addiction?
Well I have now deleted all my shopping apps, and am not going physically into stores. Anytime I think about shopping, I notice it and try to distract myself right away by doing something…either a walk, a cup of tea, walking the dogs, anything really but shopping. I find keeping my phone in a different room really helps as then I don’t have a tendency to scroll and shop…so far that’s it…
Welcome to our site, since there were so many new members in this group, we decided to write today’s blog on the subject of shopping addiction. We hope you might find it helpful. -SG
What about switching to a debit card and getting rid of your credit cards?
Hi Everyone!! I’ve been a shopaholic all my life. I can not seem to stop. I need Help, so bad.
That is a great idea! I do have my debit card… Love collecting my travel points on the Visa though and then using them…and I never keep a balance on my credit card, but I do always have debt on my line of credit…
With the points, I kind of feel like you are always chasing a deal that really isn’t a deal if that makes sense.
Welcome to the site @PrimeDad, we hope you are finding the support helpful in facing your addiction and finding the path forward to address your addiction. If you have any questions, please let us know. Best-SG
Continuing the discussion from Hello fellow shopaholics:
This sounds like me! I may not have been in debt but for over a decade I made very good money, but instead of saving anything or going on a trip??? I just bought things and couldn’t stay out of debt…when I was in my late 20’s my boyfriend at the time (now husband) lived in a great place by the water…I could easily afford the rent, but I kept buying things and constantly had to look to him to pay for entertainment, groceries and my part of the rent. First it was crafts, then trips, now it’s…high end shoes, purse, clothes, cars, makeup, skincare…you name…I’ve got it. I just can’t seem to help myself. This past week I found a therapist online that treats addictions and started treating me for shopping addiction. I let two of my best friends know , but I didn’t tell them how much debt I’m in and two members of my family that I’m really close to…I just cant seem to stop! My therapist had me start slow…I moved all of my shopping apps to a bigger folder and moved them to the last screen on my phone. Then I deleted over 10 of them…I had a slip. I bought three tops from Amazon, two purses and four pairs of shoes…so kind of a bad one…I really don’t know how to keep myself from doing it anymore…I welcome any suggestions…please.[quote=“BeautifulBC, post:1, topic:888782, full:true”]
Hello fellow shopaholics. I’ve been a shopaholic all my life, it’s been a winding road. Shopping has always made me feel so happy in the moment, and sometimes later on as well, however as I age I realize that I’m actually very sad and angry with myself when my parcels arrive, or when I look at my Visa statement…I also tend to go on shopping binges and can’t seem to stop, and then I catch myself and stop for a moment and then back at it again…Just realizing now that this is an addiction…it’s like a game of looking for that perfect item at the perfect price for me, it’s exhausting…it takes up so much of my time (the online shopping/scrolling for items) and then the money-spending aspect as well…I’ve always been in debt, ever since I’ve been 16, and that’s because of the shopping and not being able to live within my means. The more I made, the more I spent… THIS NEEDS TO STOP, I know better, but as any addiction…it’s hard. So here I am, looking for fellow shopping addicts to chat with and see maybe we can talk and share and work together to find ways to heal our addiction and lessen the effects. Sending everyone so much love and understanding, shopping-addiction is real and like any addiction it’s tough to beat and it hurts…in so many ways…
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have you tried looking at apps to help you track your spending? or getting an accountability partner, someone that will help you track things and work to getting rid of debt and paying only the items you need to purchase,
Addiction is ridiculously hard. The way I have seen my parents spend shaped the way that I spend. What is worse is that I work at a bank and judge other people’s situations for a living. I can do that, and won national awards for my work, but I can’t get my own under control? It is embarrassing to say the least. I am starting counseling at the end of this month to hopefully crack this addiction and make it so I can be stable and still pulling myself out of debt. I have closed all credit cards, and put all my money into a joint account with my husband so there is no hiding my habits. It is brutally hard, but it is what I have to do. I have also removed all shopping platforms from my phone and stopped going into stores without my husband with. Just enough to take this first step…