Smart Money: "Retail" Therapy Is the Worst Kind
I think the source of a large portion of debt, is due to the effects of "retail therapy" or "recreational shopping". This is the practice of non-need based shopping.
When we were first married, this was a big problem for us. We didn't have a lot of friends or activities going on, so basically our lives were kind of boring. That's pretty shocking when I look back on it, because our lives are so FULL now, it's hard to remember what it was like 20-something years ago. But the fact is, we would have entire weekends with nothing much to do except go cruise around the mall, or go to the swap meet, or cruise around to garage sales.
It goes without saying that this had a negative impact on our budget. I'm lousy at window shopping. I can rarely see something I like without buying it and back then I bought a LOT of what I saw. So much so that I created a huge clutter problem to go with my growing debt problem. That's where some of the seeds of this blog grew, when I started finding a way to overcome my clutter problem and start climbing our way out of debt. Solving my own problems gave me a desire to help other people get started on the same path.
Boredom is one reason for recreational shopping, but another reason is just because it feels good. It's true that buying something pretty and new always gives you a bit of a lift. Some people become addicted to that feeling, so they buy and buy things regardless of whether they actually need, want, or can afford them, simply to get that small rush. And when you've had a rough day, or are frustrated by a situation you can't solve (aren't we all sometimes?) then it's easy to feel like you "deserve" a little treat. Or a big one. But the problem doesn't actually go away and then you are still facing the same old problems plus a debt problem for dessert.
Solutions? Well, part of the solution is to just be aware of what you're doing. Take an objective look at your shopping behaviors. If you are starting to see signs of these kinds of behaviors, make another choice. Get a hobby, make some friends, join a club, find a cause, run a freaking marathon. These are all healthier and more fulfilling options in the long run and you won't be filling up your house with junk and your mailbox with credit card bills.
Come back and visit often. If you'd like to see past posts on this subject, click on the Smart Money tab and it will pull up a complete list.
By TwitterButtons.com
When we were first married, this was a big problem for us. We didn't have a lot of friends or activities going on, so basically our lives were kind of boring. That's pretty shocking when I look back on it, because our lives are so FULL now, it's hard to remember what it was like 20-something years ago. But the fact is, we would have entire weekends with nothing much to do except go cruise around the mall, or go to the swap meet, or cruise around to garage sales.
It goes without saying that this had a negative impact on our budget. I'm lousy at window shopping. I can rarely see something I like without buying it and back then I bought a LOT of what I saw. So much so that I created a huge clutter problem to go with my growing debt problem. That's where some of the seeds of this blog grew, when I started finding a way to overcome my clutter problem and start climbing our way out of debt. Solving my own problems gave me a desire to help other people get started on the same path.
Boredom is one reason for recreational shopping, but another reason is just because it feels good. It's true that buying something pretty and new always gives you a bit of a lift. Some people become addicted to that feeling, so they buy and buy things regardless of whether they actually need, want, or can afford them, simply to get that small rush. And when you've had a rough day, or are frustrated by a situation you can't solve (aren't we all sometimes?) then it's easy to feel like you "deserve" a little treat. Or a big one. But the problem doesn't actually go away and then you are still facing the same old problems plus a debt problem for dessert.
Solutions? Well, part of the solution is to just be aware of what you're doing. Take an objective look at your shopping behaviors. If you are starting to see signs of these kinds of behaviors, make another choice. Get a hobby, make some friends, join a club, find a cause, run a freaking marathon. These are all healthier and more fulfilling options in the long run and you won't be filling up your house with junk and your mailbox with credit card bills.
Come back and visit often. If you'd like to see past posts on this subject, click on the Smart Money tab and it will pull up a complete list.
By TwitterButtons.com 
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