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How To Break A Shopping
Addiction
For years, medical advertisements have warned about the perils of substance
abuse, attempting to frighten viewers with images of irreparably damaged
organs and people who more closely resembled a California raisin than
anyone's relative. The theory behind such warnings is that addictions
to these substances can be harmful for your health, as well as an expensive
habit to keep. Unfortunately, some addictions remain unchecked such
as shopping addictions.
Shopping addictions differ greatly from “mainstream” addictions
in that while there are no immediate risks to your health, as there
are with substance abuse problems, the stress from continually trying
to overcome a seemingly insurmountable amount of debt can have serious
adverse effects on your health in the end. Additionally, the pressure
to keep your excessive spending and the purchases that come as a result
can severely damage your relationships with them. In fact, studies show
that 57% of married couples divorce because of financial issues. How
can you avoid this crisis and put your life back on track? The following
suggestions will help you get back on the path to financial stability
and contribute toward a stress-free lifestyle.
Step 1: Get rid of all credit cards.
See no evil, do no evil. Of all the ways to spend your money, using
a credit card is probably the worst.. Without the actual presence of
diminishing money to serve as a reminder of how much money you are spending,
you will generally be more likely to spend more than you actually have.
In addition, every time you use your credit card, you are not only paying
on what you owe, but on an interest rate set by the issuing company,
which is often very high. To avoid having your shopping-driven debt
balloon further out of control, cancel your existing credit cards, so
that you won't be tempted to add more expenses. Without the use of a
credit card available to you, it will be much more difficult to spend
frivolously.
Step 2: Make a plan and stick to it.
Once you have canceled your credit cards, it is best to set a budget
for yourself. Make a list of all of your expenses, and divide these
into categories based on their necessity, ranking from “essential”
to “unnecessary.” Items which fall under the “essential”
category should receive the most attention from you and should include
expenses such as bills, basic needs (for example, food and clothing),
and medical expenses.
These expenses should be paid for in cash, if possible, but under no
circumstances should the presence of an item like clothing under the
“essential” category be misconstrued as an excuse to overspend
on purchases, which are not directly used for daily survival. Remember:
a budget is a guideline for maintaining a realistic spending limit.
Therefore, do not go over budget, or your work to rectify your debt
situation will be in vain.
Step 3: Seek professional help.
Again, while a shopping addiction is not technically a conventional
form of addiction, it is an addiction nonetheless. As such, it is important
to seek professional help that can provide you with support while you
embark upon your quest to overcome your addiction and reclaim your life
from debt.
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