Help me! Shopping addiction?

Question

I'm only 13, and in one weekend, I bought over $100 dollars worth of things. This is alot considering that my parents aren't rich. I buy stuff that is on sale, but it starts to add up. I don't know what to do! My parents can't afford all this and it's going to make our family homeless. I just can't stop. What should I do?

I just see so many things that are just so cute, I have to have them!!!!!!!!

And my parents just keep spoiling me with the money they don't have. I don't know what to do! My parents just want me to be happy, but it's destroying us.

Answer 1

Remember watching I Love Lucy? Often when Lucy was feeling down, nothing would cheer her up quicker than buying a new hat or a new dress. So many women (men too) use spending money as a stress reliever, or a mood changer, or they will describe feeling a real "shopping high".

You know, that really isn't so different from the "high" people get using the slot machines.........and people have lost their houses for real with the gambling gone out of control.

You do have the benefit that you are recognizing some of the consequences of your unleashed spending. This will help you to be able to follow-through in re-learning how to deal with your stress, or how to have fun.

I had to deal with this myself, a while back. These are some of what I have done to learn to spend differently.

1) have or earn a specific amount of money each month -- the effort of earning your own money to spend can be a real help.
2) spend only green cash -- never ever charge a purchase
3) learn to save for your purchases
4) I would limit my spending amount to a mere $1 or $2 per day, in my pocket, and leave the rest (if there is any) at home
5) Allowing myself the freedom to purchase anything I wanted with the money in my pocket was empowering -- I might get an order of fries, stop at yard sales to search the tables and bargain for a real "deal", go to thrift stores searching the racks for the 1/2 price or 99cent items in my size. Searching the racks for the very most pieces of chocolate for my money is also kind of fun.....fun that can last for hours that night. Dollar stores can have some great bargains for what I need.

6) For larger purchases, I would save my money -- leave it at home -- and go searching and searching until I found just the right thing the right color, the right fit, and the right price. At the store I'd put the item on hold. Then with the time it took to return home for the money and get back to the store, it was a good exercise for me to think it over, considering if this was THE purchase I really felt was the best use of my money.

7) To change my ways from using credit cards, I worked with a counselor. We talked about what need I was trying to "fill" with my spending. I was asked what was I getting out of the act of the spending? Then we discussed motivation. Anger, feeling down, following losing an argument, when someone said something derogatory, wanting the freedom to make my own decision, just so tired of feeling poor, to try to feel better about myself, to try to be helpful to others..................

8) The next step is to make a personal commitment as to how you will spend / or not spend. Make that commitment to another person, and have them hold you accountable frequently. You won't be able to change your ways overnight, and even the urges to spend won't go away in even a year. But you can begin to practice spending responsibly. If you are tempted to spend and spend, learn to walk away. And learn to find new ways to have fun.

Answer 2

I know this might help at least temporarily.

Think before you buy is it a need or a want. If its something you want then let it pass and think about how proud you will feel when you get home that you resisted the temptation.

At the same time you should have a budget to buy things because if you hold all that in then one day you´re just gonna go crazy and spend too much, talking from experience.

Answer 3

Stop going to the store unless you need something. If you do need something, write it down, go there and buy it and only it, and come back.

It's great that you have recognized the problem. With addictions, acknowledging the problem is half the solution. Now, just need to carry out the plan.

Answer 4

Well don't go the the stores for a while. If you don't go there you can't buy stuff. Just an idea I had. Hope it works.

Answer 5

oh.. It no problem.. Earn back the money you spend when you hit 18.
If you want to control, ask your parents not give you money.