52 Words: 10 How to Lower your Spending when you are a Shopaholic

2643 Words: 500
Shop til you drop is an expression many of us know all too well. Only for many it should actually be shop until you are deep down into debt and then don’t know what to do. Many of us are compulsive shoppers, pulled by forces we cannot control to spend spend spend even when are funds are at zero or even below. A self-described shopaholic might want to do better but not know how to start. The following are tips on how to lower your spending when you are a shopaholic.
Don’t go to the stores where you spend a lot of money
Some of us are impulse buyers. We see something and then suddenly we cannot imagine our lives without it. It is like it was sitting there waiting for us our whole lives. And you know that if you leave the store without it you will forever regret it. The problem is a shopaholic might experience these same feelings over and over again when they are in the stores. The solution: as much as you can, avoid these stores. You cannot become enamored with something and desperate to have it if you do not see it. If you know that it is your weakness then avoid the situation. Obviously, you will not necessarily be able to avoid all shops because there are things that you might legitimately need but as much as possible do so.
This can also go for the Internet. If you shop online a lot, then stop going to the websites where you spend too much money on things that you do not need. If you do not see that awesome dress that is half price today only then you will not buy it.
Get yourself off of e-mail and mailing lists for stores (or just throw them away or ignore them)
Many of us get pulled into buying things when we read some sort of advertisement. The e-mail might seem innocent enough at first. “Big sale” the subject line beckons mysteriously. You open it up and it urges you to click on the link. Suddenly a virtual feast is before your eyes and before you know it, you are reaching for your purse and your wallet and your credit card. If you can, unsubscribe to these lists, and the same goes to regular mail as well. If you keep getting spam and junk mail, then just throw it away.
Make yourself a budget and an amount you can spend, then set that money aside.
Decide how much it is okay for you to spend. Then take that out in cash and only take that to the store so you cannot overspend. Make a budget, and write everything down so that you are held accountable. You can consider getting buddy who is working on the same thing.
It can be difficult to avoid overspending when you are a shopaholic, but you can. You are strong! Consider the above techniques to help you in this journey.
Updated On: 04/16/2010 Published On: 04/16/2010 Great gifts for those who love the beach