Are you wondering how to stop your shopping addiction problem?
Are you finding all the excuses in the world as to why you buy certain things?
There are many reasons why people say and do different things to justify their spending, and that’s just how it is.
No one wants to be blamed, accused, or seen doing something bad.
That’s not how it works.
We want to be the person who is acceptable to everyone and who doesn’t have an addiction.
Not many will admit to it, and that’s just how it is.
I’ve been through the phase of shopping for nonsense throughout my young adult life, but all that changed when I started having children.
Instead of saving more money, I literally funded other people’s paychecks.
All that has changed, and I want to show you why and how.
Table of Contents
Why You Have a Shopping Addiction
You have a shopping addiction, and that’s okay.
It happens.
I have a wife, so I know how it is, and I know how hard it is to deal with it.
I mean, huge arguments have arisen over the topic, and although I think it is stupid, I’m glad it’s over and done with.
At least for now.
What shopping addicts don’t realize is that they actually have a problem.
They will have a reason why they buy whatever it is that they buy, regardless of whether or not it is a valid reason.
If you don’t NEED it, then, of course, there’s no valid reason.
How Shopping Addicts Think – Shopping is Shopping
Shopping addicts are exactly that.
Addicts.
They can have everything they need, but they will find a way to spend more money.
This is when they start saying things like “So and so needs this” or “So and so will love this.”
It’s a bunch of bologna, but they won’t agree.
Once again, addicts won’t ever agree, but whatever.
For those of you who want to stop your shopping addiction, here’s how you can do it.
How to Stop Your Shopping Addiction
If you want to stop your shopping addiction, you may or may not have taken the first step.
Most will never get to that step, and that is why they will never stop their shopping addiction.
So, it’s either you’re the one looking for a cure to your shopping addiction, or you might be the other half, a friend or family member trying to help someone who has the problem.
Whatever or whoever is the problem, you can fix it.
So, let’s start by seeing how we can stop your shopping addiction and fix the problem.
1. Understand and Admit Your Shopping Addiction
I know this sounds like some AA session, and that’s because it does involve addiction.
Personally, I think addiction is a thing that the world forces on you, and it’s up to you to be “addicted” or not.
With shopping, do you really think you can have an addiction if you don’t have the money?
Of course not.
That’s why you need to understand what you are dealing with, and it’s the stuff you are exposed to that makes you think the way you do.
Very much like the next reason why you have a shopping addiction.
2. Understand How Advertising Works
Advertising is dangerous if you’re a consumer, which means you and everyone else.
Whether a product is great or not, advertising can make you think differently.
It can be someone famous, an overexaggerated example of how something works, or the simple presentation of something.
These things can sway your decision, and that is why they exist in the first place.
It’s the same reason you say, “Man, I’m hungry” after you see a commercial for some food.
Advertising is amazing but can be one of the things hindering you from stopping your shopping addiction.
4. Don’t Be So Emotional
I know this is like telling a woman to stop being a woman, but when it comes to shopping, you must try to keep your emotions out of it.
Not to say you shouldn’t be emotional (because someone has to cry during Titanic), but when it comes to seeing ads and giving in to what others think, you need to think for yourself.
Our emotions will get the best of us, and it definitely applies to shopping.
If you can keep your emotions out of your shopping ventures, you can easily stop your shopping addiction.
5. Don’t Be Easily Influenced
Personally, I love the idea of advertising and showcasing awesome products.
However, not all products are created equal, and not all of them are worth what they seem.
Now, there’s one thing I do hate, and it’s famous people and influencers “influencing” regular old broke people.
They tell them things like retail therapy and how they need this product and that product to improve their lives.
More bologna.
Do you really think “retail therapy” is a thing?
Well, it isn’t.
Do you really think anyone and everyone can have “retail therapy?”
Of course not.
We all have budgets, and not everyone has the luxury of shopping for the materialistic nonsense we have in this world.
So quit acting and stop giving in to these celebrities who care nothing about how your wallet looks.
6. Act Your Wage
Buying new things is great.
The problem with most is the fact that they can’t afford it.
What’s even funnier is when one co-worker act or spends lavishly compared to the more conservative co-worker.
You make the same amount of money, so I don’t know how in the world you think you make more.
In this crazy world driven by advertising, you need to step back and try to understand how you’re really acting.
If you can’t do that, then I’m sorry, but you will not stop your shopping addiction.
7. Budget
When you have a shopping addiction, your money will leave your wallet faster than you make it, and it sucks.
Shopping addicts don’t care.
They will spend every penny to get their oh-so-necessary “shopping therapy”.
If you’re a shopping addict that can’t support your addiction, you need to put a stop to the madness.
Put yourself on a budget.
Put money aside for the necessities and even for the junk you buy.
Once you start to see how much money you don’t have, you’ll see that regardless of whether or not you think you have a shopping addiction, you need to control your spending.
8. Put Your Pride Away
Pride is dangerous, and it can ruin a lot of things in your life.
In case you don’t know this, more Americans are struggling to pay their bills.
This may or may not include you, but you best believe that everyone and their mothers are experiencing some hardship.
Even at that, some may still find it necessary to spend the money they don’t have to keep that image of “I’m a big spender” going.
That’s a pride issue and one that you don’t want to be a part of.
This will lead to more spending, and soon, you’ll be trying to apply for more credit cards.
This will put you further into debt and ultimately lead to more stress.
Don’t let pride be the reason why you’re struggling.
9. Change Your Network
We all have a group or different groups of people we associate with.
We have friends, coworkers, and others that we know.
Whoever they are, they have the biggest influence on what you do.
They have an impact on what you eat and how you act.
And, yes, they have an influence on how you buy things and why you might have a shopping addiction.
When they get something, you feel you need to get it too.
Remember that not everyone needs to keep up with the Kardashians, so if your friends are influencing you in the wrong way, you might want to abandon that ship.
10. Be Realistic
Act your wage.
If you haven’t heard that line before, you might want to apply that to your life.
Not everyone is making $100k/year, so that means not everyone can shop til they drop.
Forget about what others think.
I can promise you that they don’t care about the clothes you wear.
Yes, they can see you wear the same shirt every other day, and that’s okay.
They’ll get used to it.
At the end of the day, you have to focus on providing for your family and living within your means.
If you can do that, you can stop your shopping addiction for good.
I’ve done it, and it has helped me with many of my financial problems.
Conclusion – Stop Your Shopping Addiction For Good
No one can stop your shopping addiction but you.
Unless you want to keep throwing your money away, you need to put in the effort needed to stop your shopping addiction.
You’re only getting older, and looking cool is going to be a thing of the past.
I hope these ideas can help you stop your shopping addiction and you can finally be free from feeling the need to buy something all the time.
Save your money, use it wisely, and you’ll see how much money you save each month.
Until next time, thanks for reading, and don’t forget to subscribe responsibly.
