Why oh why is the world so tough?!
The most mouth-wateringly tempting food is the most calorific.
So not fair! 😩
The most enticing purchases are the most expensive.
Even more unfair! 😭
In other words, the more irresistible something is, the more likely we are to become addicted to it.
It turns so seamlessly from pleasure to vice, from good to bad, that we hardly even notice that we’ve overstepped the very fine line that exists between the two.
One minute, we’re innocently indulging in a spot of retail therapy, and then the next, we find ourselves in full-blown shopaholic territory. 😬
Oh, yes, indeedy! It is a real word!
But what do we do when we find that our seemingly innocuous pastime is spiralling so out of control that it’s sending our finances into freefall?
What if our desire to be money savvy is constantly being eroded by the ever-present, nagging reminders in the shops, in the media, on our social media that the very latest this, that or the other will improve our lives or wellbeing beyond all measure, to the point that all resistance is futile, or at the very least, will risk the unleashing of a serious case of FOMO (fear of missing out)?
Oh, yes, my dear friends, even in the pit of shopaholic despair, there is a faint glimmer of hope to be found. 🌈
There are steps that we can take, three to be exact, to find the light at the end of that very dark tunnel…
1. Find a free therapy
It is so easy to justify the unjustifiable by injecting a good old dose of psychobabble.
A once seemingly frivolous past time is now given some gravitas as it’s equated to therapy.
How can shopping possibly be bad?…
And for a split second, it really does seem to.
All those mood-enhancing endorphins are released at the tap of a debit or credit card.
The thrill of that new acquisition, that new purchase is exhilarating, liberating until…
The inevitable crash comes with the realisation that we have too much stuff (and/or life experience) and too little money in our constantly under siege bank accounts.
But happiness hits don’t have to involve the overstretching of our wallets.
We could just as easily search out happiness and stress relief in other ways, that don’t involve the spending of large sums of money.
A phone call to friends or family members, a long soak in a bubble bath with a good book, a family trip to the art gallery or museum, a ”jammie day” – all proven mood-boosting activities, all pretty much free!
Who knew “not shopping” could be so much fun?!
2. Curb the coffee
Coffee is another penny wasting habit that is closely linked to shopaholic tendencies (and often coincides with shopping trips), as shopping needs fuel, and lots of it.
I am a total sucker for the trendiest of artisan coffee shops, with cutesy neon sign adorned walls and coffee foam that is artsier than art.
At least at London café Elan it is! 💖
On the flip side, my regular coffee habit, which runs at around £3 a time, is proving more than a little costly.
So serious coffee sacrifices are being made – my almost daily habit is now just a weekly one.
Will I be able to reduce it to monthly or even bi-monthly?
We’ll see! 🤔 It depends on how well we withstand the withdrawals… 😓🤯
3. Build a budget that leaves room for impulse buys
If you have shopaholic tendencies (which, hands up, I do! 🙋♀️😳), it can be next to impossible to go completely cold turkey.
And shoes, and bags, and…
A little like extreme dieting leads to binge eating, extreme budgeting will only result in binge spending later on.
A more sensible approach would be to allow a certain amount per week or per month for those impulse buys that inevitably happen when out and about or, even, when at home while surfing the net.
Charity shop designer delights, high street hits and cups of cute coffee – all my financial foes in one photo (no-no)!
The trick (and ultimate challenge) is to stay within that more flexible budget.
Otherwise, the retail therapy will require a whole other level of therapeutic intervention.
Shopaholics anonymous, anyone?🛍😬
So, there you have it, folks!
Saving money is completely achievable, even for those of us who are on the die-hard shopaholic end of the spectrum. 😳
Next up, to demolish all our debt and find financial success.
Challenging?
Ya ha!
Achievable?
Totally!
Last year, I was successful in shedding all those extra, pesky pounds of baby weight (5 Real Ways To Reach Those Weight Loss Goals ), this year, my goal is to gain the right sort of pounds and pennies! 🤑
As ever, my dear readers, I’ll keep you all posted, each and every step of the way! 🤞
Until next time,
💋 Mostly Mum
*All gifs are via GIPHY
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