Simply Thrifty

There Is No Denying It

by Kadi on June 28th, 2008

I was reading up on how to save money, when I saw a link that piqued my interest. It was a quiz that determines whether or not you are a compulsive shopper. I took it just to make myself feel better that there are really people worse off than I am, when it comes to spending. I should never have taken that stupid test. A lot of  my answers surprised and disappointed me. Here is the test, as it reads on Bankrate:

Are you a compulsive shopper?

1. Do you buy things you want, whether or not you can afford them at the moment? 2. Do you have trouble saving money? If you have a little extra available to save or invest, do you tend to think of something you’d rather spend it on? 3. Do you buy things to cheer yourself up or to reward yourself? 4. Does more than a third of your income, not including rent or mortgage payments, go to pay bills? 5. Do you juggle bill paying because you always seem to be living on the edge, financially? 6. Do you tend to keep buying more of your favorite things even if you don’t have a specific need for them? 7. If you have to deny yourself or put off buying something you really want, do you feel intensely deprived, angry or upset?

If you answered “yes,” “often,” or especially “hell yeah!” to a majority of the above questions, you are probably in the same spendaholic boat as I. All aboard to debtors island, folks! Stop the boat…there is hope. You can turn the boat around and save yourself, if you so choose. The answer lies in learning what triggers the compulsion to shop. Learn to recognize your feelings of excitement at the thought of buying something and then find something healthy that will create the same feeling. Your brain can be retrained to get that same feeling of enjoyment from other sources. You should also give up your credit cards to someone you trust, or destroy them. The best way to avoid temptation to spend, is to steer clear of shopping venues. It will take will power to change your ways, but it is possible. If you find that your will power is non-existent, however, then outside seek help.

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