Debt Management Checklist on Compulsive Shopping
Summary:
Worried about your compulsive shopping habit? Well, it’s time to consider the root cause behind it. Debt management experts help you understand these reasons.
Compulsive shopping – more than a habit
If you have seen the movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” then you can probably relate to the character played by Isla Fisher. Of course the movie was a light hearted comedy, but the message it conveyed was deeply serious. According to one estimate, more than 60 million people in the U.S. are compulsive shoppers. Often this compulsive shopping is the root cause of bad credit and deeper debt problems. Experts of debt management programs offer tips to understand the causes that could be the signs of shopping addiction.
The following questions are typically reviewed in a debt management program to analyze your shopping habits:
Do you buy things whenever you want them?
How do you go about buying things? Do you like to go window shopping, and, if you like something, you buy it immediately even if you have a similar item already?
Do you buy regardless of cost?
If you like something, do you want it at any cost? Will you even pay double your stipulated budget for that only thing you liked?
Do you shop when you are in a bad mood?
Debt management experts consider this to be one of the primary causes of debt problems. When you are depressed or in a bad mood, you end up buying more than you normally would have because it makes you feel better.
Do you have little savings?
You intend to put money into savings, but there is always one excuse or another that compels you do more shopping instead.
Here are some debt management tips to handle irrational shopping habits.
- Impulsive buyers are bad at managing debt. So if you are serious about your debt problems, then it is recommended by debt management experts that you control the urge to buy when shopping.
- It is suggested that you always do comparison shopping. In this way, you will know if an item is worth the price before deciding to buy.
- It is a good idea to go shopping to treat yourself, but it should not become a habit. Try to avoid shopping when you are depressed or in a bad mood. Debt management counselors advise that window shopping is a better idea during that time.
- If your employer offers you a direct deposit option for your pay check, take the opportunity to arrange for a certain amount to be deposited into your savings account each pay cycle instead. It will help you control your shopping spree habit.
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