Over shopping is over consumption. It is binging with your credit card, and it is out of control.
I am not talking about deciding to pick up a laptop after careful consideration of its purpose, the price tag and its value to you.
Over shopping is just running into a store and deciding to buy one on a whim, and then spending money on new speakers, a new laptop case for it, a new mouse.. you get the picture.
This disease affects everyone from all levels of society, all races and both genders.
Even celebrities are prey to this craziness.
Take for instance Nicolas Cage’s recent financial snafu:
- Owning more than 20+ automobiles
- $US1.6 million comic book collection
- Castles in England and Bavaria
- In 2007 alone, spent $33 million USD in property, 22 automobiles, 50 pieces of jewelery, art & exotic items
- Costly vacations
- Enormous parties
He needed to earn $30 million USD a year to maintain his lifestyle!
Identify your triggers
Over consumption is in our economy and culture, and is usually a result of any of the following emotions:
- anger
- sadness
- loneliness
- boredom
- excitement
How do you use shopping to change your mood?
Analyze those triggers
If you’ve noticed that you shop because you are happy, then ask yourself why you do that.
Maybe you’re shopping as a way to treat yourself to be happy.
Or to extend that happiness by doing something else you love – shop.
Or maybe it is a way to remember all the fun times you had with your sisters before they moved far away (getting all Freudian here).
List substitute activities for shopping
Make a list of activities ahead of time to do INSTEAD of shopping.
An activity formulated to hold you back from shopping by addressing whatever your triggers were.
If it’s anger, go to the gym and punch it out.
If it’s loneliness, it could be related to wanting to connect with a person, so call a friend to chat.
If it’s boredom, start cleaning and organizing. Surefire way of mine to kill any urge to do anything.
If it’s stress, think about taking a bubble bath or .. well, my favourite is to organize. I hate baths.
Do something else, rather than shop, and force yourself to take control of your life rather than allowing emotions charge in and take over it.
With this list in hand, you can have a ready solution to redirect your emotion’s energy.
Fi.
on Feb 17th, 2010
@ 12:01 pm:
Freud wouldn't be fussed with sisters, he's more into mummy and daddy issues. "Sad? IT'S BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH YOUR MOTHER". Crazy old man.
Meg
on Feb 17th, 2010
@ 6:34 pm:
I like this a lot. Thanks for the specific list of how to treat each trigger!
TatiLie
on Feb 17th, 2010
@ 8:44 pm:
"If it’s stress, think about taking a bubble bath or .. well, my favourite is to organize. I hate baths."
Loved it!!!
I used to love baths as a child (ofuro baths at my grandparents) but now, as soon I get in, I feel an urge to get out. I can't stop thinking "what can I do now… what can I do now…" It feels a big waste of time and water!
Debbie
on Feb 18th, 2010
@ 12:16 am:
Today I decided to return a cat shelf I bought (and did NOT need! how much shit can two cats have anyways??) after thinking of ways to clear stuff out.
You are my inspiration. Though I will never be on the same level as you-I have certainly gotten rid of a metric ton of stuff and am still working on getting rid of more! I even gave away my recliner! (And have tons of stuff listed on craigs list and kijiji!!!)
I swear I am going to print out pictures of your place and hang them on my (newly clear) fridge!
Thats not too crazy stalkerish is it?
Natasha
on Feb 18th, 2010
@ 6:13 am:
This is great! My default activity is cleaning and organizing and you're right, you end up not wanting to do anything else after that. Baths aren't all that great unless you have one of those fancy jet tubs with essential oils and a massage therapist scheduled for after the bath…
nicole 86
on Feb 18th, 2010
@ 6:40 pm:
I do not feel concerned ! i love looking at shop windows, I mean beautiful ones because some are similar to art. But this is not an incentive to buy anything, just strolling in streets and enjoying it.
TrishB
on Feb 18th, 2010
@ 7:08 pm:
I hate shopping, especially malls…then I found the Internet. It is too easy to spend money, so I have used coded passwords to PayPal and favorite sites to remind me to think before pushing the Place Order buttons.
Non consumer Girl
on Feb 20th, 2010
@ 1:12 am:
I used to shop a lot, and I think that it was to fill a void.
Now after my year of the Compact and Buying Nothing New, I have found other leisure activities. I have more time for exercise and playing the piano as well as having coffee with girlfriends