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Are You a Compulsive Shopper?

01/31/2013 By Nancy Borg With no comments yet

shopaholic_optCan you go shopping without actually buying? Do you tend to buy the first thing you see?  Do you merely shop, just to shop?

Despite the compromised economy, people are still shopping.  The levels may vary, but there are notably all different kinds of shopping going on.  No doubt about it, shopping is a favorite pastime.  People love to shop.  It’s a validation that we’re doing OK, and it gives us pleasure to indulge ourselves. It feels good to buy something new.  But we must set limits or addiction can easily ensue.

Sometimes we shop with purpose and motive, and so our purchases are intentional and gratifying.  Other times, shopping can mean merely browsing with no specific expectation at all.  You know that kind of day… when we meander into a store looking for absolutely nothing in particular. That’s the day when we are badgered by the pushy salesperson, grit our teeth and politely respond with a “just looking, thank you.”

The “shop & return-er” is a victim of indecisive purchasing and can frequent the stores on a daily basis because they struggle with making decisions.  And then there’s the shopper that loves to “shop around ” which suggests they’re being smart educated consumers who typically research everything prior to any purchase.

The compulsive shopper and the impulsive shopper can be more problematic.  I think that compulsive shopping differs from impulsive shopping.  Can you make the distinction?

The average middle-income compulsive shopper may be struggling with deeply rooted obsessive addictive behaviors. Make no mistake about it, it is costly and dangerous and likely to place one in severe debt. Especially for those who spend more than they can afford and struggle with compulsive acquiring, seeking professional help is highly recommended.

If you are an impulsive shopper, your purchases may apt to be more rash. These decisions are often made with little or no thought.   How many times have you veered off track and purchased something for yourself, while shopping for another person? As for me?…too many times to count, really.  Guilty as charged.  Generally speaking (very), an average impulsive shopper can usually afford their indulgences.  And if regret weighs too heavy in hindsight, the item is usually returned without much issue.  Oops… change of heart, no biggie.

So what kind of shopper are you? Can you leave a shopping mall empty-handed?

If you’re up for the challenge, here’s the ultimate test in self-control.

  • Try strolling through the mall, spritz a new fragrance on your wrist and take pleasure in it for the rest of the day, without buying it.  Eliminate the regretful purchase.  If you still love it when you get home, you can purchase it another day.
  • Walk into Brookstone and sit yourself on every massage chair and play with all the latest gadgets, and walk away from the temptation of buying the latest technology. That’s a trap that keeps on luring.
  • Try on a piece of clothing because you admire it or just want to try it on, not because you have to own it.
  • Browse the stores for great gift ideas for a future occasion and avoid the crunch time of finding the perfect gift when you need to.
  • Walk away from bargains.  When tempted with sale items, don’t be lured into buying more just because they’re on sale.
  • Be mindful of over- acquiring perishable products at stores like Costco.  It can easily defeat the purpose of the sale because the expiration dates often beat out the inventory.

Shopping does not have to mean purchasing.  It can still be a fun activity without breaking the bank or even having to take out your wallet. You can still appreciate, discover, admire, and find joy without the need to acquire it.  Affordability is not always the real issue.  Just because you can afford it, doesn’t mean you should buy it.  Contemplate, prior to purchasing and ask yourself:

  • Do I really need it?
  • Can I afford it?
  • Do I have something just like it at home already?
  • Do I have room for it? /where is it going to live in my house?

 

No matter what your financial status is, it is always wise to be cognizant about how we spend, and what we buy.  The fact is that there is a potentially infinite amount of things to purchase in this world, but we should remember that there is not an unlimited amount of space in our homes to accommodate them.  There cannot be an endless parade of incoming without the natural flow of outgoing.

So when you shop, just be smart. Buy better, not necessarily more. Happy shopping! Would love you to share your thoughts and your bargains 🙂

 

 

 

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The Social Phenomenon That Can Impede on Your Vacation

01/18/2013 By Nancy Borg With no comments yet

man-plugged-in-on-beach-300x199_optAre you one of those?  You know, the ones that can never disconnect from their cell phones, blackberries, laptops, or iPad?  The operative word is never.  The social phenomenon of being connected to our personal and professional worlds, 24/7, is part of our pop culture.

The job spill dilemma is the most challenging of all. If your’e always connected, you can never really disengage when you’re on vacation or relaxing on a beach somewhere.  Isn’t the point of a vacation to enjoy a “get-a-way?”  Can you resist the pull and self-impose a disconnect? The job will be there upon your return, so make the most of your time away from it.  Stay in that moment while it lasts.

If you really want to get the greatest benefit from your vacation, try reading a great novel, engage in any physical activity that you don’t normally do, or take a nap. Defy the temptation to hook up with your work-related life.  Don’t be a victim just because the hot spots are there because you know then you’ll feel compelled to connect.  It is the ultimate exercise in self-control.  It’s difficult to ignore the lure of the Internet, but it will still be there when you get home and so will Face Book, Twitter, your Inbox, etc.

How we manage our leisure time correlates to how we balance our lives.  Social media may be an addicting phenomenon, but we can control it by making choices.  This is the ultimate exercise in time-management. Maybe connect once a day, or check e-mails every other, or not at all.  You choose. We all like to think that we are indispensable, but life still goes on in our absence.

Focus on reducing the brain clutter, re-direct the barrage of thoughts spiraling through your brain. Allow yourself to slow down, drift off, and feel the calm.

It’s hard to remember a time when weren’t connected to our technology.  I can remember when leaving the office really meant leaving the work behind.  Ahhh….vacation.   Take it and run.  Let go. Relax. Escape. Disconnect.  Can you do it?

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Are You Getting a Sustainable Return on Your Savings?

01/09/2013 By Nancy Borg With no comments yet

Nope, I’m not talking about the green stuff in the bank. I’m talking about the “other“ stuff you are saving;  the stuff you are holding onto because you can’t seem to let it go.

If you are thinking about saving things that you might use one day, or holding onto clothing you might wear someday…think again, it’s not happening.

Someone else can certainly benefit from them now, so let them go. Be philanthropic and donate to a charity of your choice.

If you are a parent and you’re thinking about saving stuff for your kids, thinking they might want it…think again. Generally speaking, (and I don’t mean to offend the exception to the rule), chances are great that your adult children don’t want your old stuff, they have their own.

Trust me, I’ve learned from personal experience, and I’m just passing on the harsh reality. I too, had been guilty of  justifying hanging on to random clutter that served no one. So do yourself a favor and evaluate your savings.

Are you enjoying them? Are you reaping any great rewards from them?

If your treasures are sitting in a box on an inaccessible shelf somewhere, or buried in a drawer, or tucked away in a dusty attic, how valuable are they really?

Let’s say you have old cherished items that cannot necessarily be used, but still give you significant pleasure when you look at them. Viewing them daily can bring you great joy, so display them with pride.  If it’s frame-able, frame it.  If not, “think outside the frame.” There are so many creative ways to re-purpose sentimental memorabilia.

Let go of the hobby that never sustained the passion and toss its stuff.  If you still have… an assortment of dried up paint and hardened brushes; rusty tools; or crafts sets lacking key components; old puzzles that may be missing pieces (who’s got the time to count?); time to bid them farewell too.

Or better yet, while weeding through your life’s clutter, perhaps you’ll make a new discovery and be inspired to “re-invest” in that old dream. Maybe you forgot you even had some good usable stuff.  Imagine re-activating the old clutter into a new enjoyable active pastime! Now that would be a great save with a unique twist, don’t you think?

Either way, save the stuff that brings you joy as you live your life TODAY.

Take the time to check out what’s hiding in your closets, attic, basement, or garage and evaluate the “why” of saving it.  Don’t save the old stuff unless the returns are great. Discriminate trash from treasure. The old roller skates are obsolete now, and you know that no one in your family will ever use them or want them.  So take a pic, and let them go.

Love your stuff that matters now. Don’t box it, enjoy it. Go for the sustainable rewards of keeping it.  Now that’s what I call a priceless investment.  But that’s just me.  What about you?

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Got PTHD? How to Remedy Post Traumatic Holiday Disorder

01/02/2013 By Nancy Borg With no comments yet

There is a noteworthy measure of some good, bad, and ugly at the end of one year and the beginning of a new one.  The good is that the chaos of the holidays are finally over. The bad is that the holidays are finally over, and you have to wait an entire year til next Xmas season. The ugly is the mess you are left to clean up.

For starters, the Christmas tree has to come down, the lights put away, the ornaments need to be boxed up, the wrapping paper and accompaniments need to be organized.  And I’m sure there are still random presents that need to be returned or exchanged.

Where did all the joy go?  Did yours peak at Christmas and take a huge nose dive after the New Year?

It is understandable and likely that many of us suffer from what I call, Post Traumatic Holiday Disorder.  We can all admit to feeling somewhat of a void after such a concentrated month of jubilation.  But perhaps, we should look at it in another way.  Take this time to pause and reflect.  Be grateful that you had a holiday and were able to celebrate it. The parties may be over but the memories live on forever, and hopefully you took the pics to commemorate them.  Even all good things must come to an end.

Give yourself a little break to catch your breath, re-organize and reboot…and then back to business as usual.

Do your best not to wallow in the sorrow of the end of a year and concentrate on the beginning of a new one.  Start fresh.

Look forward to the possibilities of new opportunities that lie ahead in the coming new year.

Focus on that.  Find a hopeful spirit.  It can be rejuvenating and motivating.  It can engulf you.  Let it.  It just might be the fix you’ll need to fight the blues until that first bloom of Spring.

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