Retail therapy is real, Glamazons. When you’re upset or feeling stressed, shopping is a quick and addictive pick-me-up.
I used to have a huge problem with shopping when I wasn’t at my best. I would head to H&M and drop coins on trendy clothes just to make me feel better. The problem? I’d end up with bins of clothes I didn’t need, money that could’ve gone to my savings and the issue I was initially upset about was still there. Epic fail, right?
I’m not alone. Huffington Post revealed that one in three Americans shop to relieve stress (that stat accounts for 91% of the population). They polled 1,000 U.S. adults online and also concluded that “women were twice as likely as men to use retail therapy as a way to cope with stress (40 percent vs. 19 percent).” The convenience of online shopping (on your iPhone, iPad or laptop) only adds to the problem.
Since retail therapy became an issue for me a long time ago, I came up with ways to get out of the expensive habit (note: I still shop for work LOL but I don’t attach it to my emotions anymore).
Here are five ways to curb it:
–Avoid shopping when you’re upset. It seems simple but it’s harder than it sounds. It takes a lot of discipline and honesty to admit that you’re shopping for emotional reasons. I did, and as a result, I was able to stop myself before I made pricey mistakes.
–When online shopping, put items in a shopping cart and don’t purchase. I have full shopping carts all over the internet (especially on ASOS, where you can like your favorites). Online “window shopping,” if you will, enables you to pick out the pieces you love without purchasing and suffering the financial repercussions. The best part? Once you feel better, you can come back to the cart and edit selections with a clear head before you buy.
–If you can’t help but shop, go for more affordable items like lip gloss or nail polish that won’t cause much guilt or regret after the fact.
–If you can’t fight the desire to spend on clothes, shop at places that accept returns. You can return or exchange items you don’t want when you’ve calmed down and are thinking more rationally.
–The most successful way to avoid retail therapy is by finding other outlets to relieve stress. I’ll never forget: my aunt was adamant about me dealing with the stress of my job in a constructive way and she made sure I found something that gave me peace without causing any harm in the long run. There are several ways you can release stress and deal with anxiety instead of shopping: you can exercise (I love yoga!), talk to a therapist, go to church or confide in a trusted friend to name a few.
Do you shop to relieve stress, Glamazons? How do you deal with an addiction to retail therapy?
Kisses,
Glamazon Jessica
