Fighting the urge to splurge

February 2, 2009 by Samantha Williams 

New movie raises concerns about the effects of shopping too much

With this month’s release of the highly anticipated chick flick “Confessions of a Shopaholic,” students everywhere are assessing their personal shopping habits. 

Admitting you’re a shopaholic is the first step in overcoming that irritating urge to break out the shiny plastic you have hidden in your Louie Vuitton to splurge on the new Ray-Bans Nicole Ritchie was sporting last week. 

However, confessing (or even knowing) the addiction exists can be a challenge. 

Opening your closet to see enough never-worn merchandise to clothe a small African village or having hundreds of dollars wracked up on various credit cards are just a few signs you have a serious problem.

You may be trying to justify your shopping obsession by reassuring yourself that it’s not your fault you’re blessed with good taste and a healthy appetite for a wardrobe that changes with the seasons. 

But how do you know if you really need help? According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, there are several signs that indicate a visit to Shopaholics Anonymous might be in the works.

Emotional spending, arguing with others about your shopping habits, feeling lost without credit cards, charging without the cash to foot the bill and feelings of euphoria, anxiety, guilt, embarrassment and confusion are all whopping red flags.

If you’re still not sure if you’re a shopaholic, lying about things you’ve bought and thinking excessively about money are other sure-fire symptoms.

Right now you may be thinking you’re never going to be able to kick your compulsive spending habits. Don’t be discouraged, there are plenty of tricks that will put you on the path to recovery in no time.

The first (and most painful) step is to cut up your credit cards immediately, at least the few you absolutely don’t need. 

“Cutting up my cards was the best financial decision I ever made,” junior Ashley Dyer said. “For the longest time I would tell myself I just couldn’t do it. What if I had an emergency and needed a card?”

Dyer said she eventually realized if she was ever going to pay off her bills, she had no other choice but to cut up the cards that got her into trouble in the first place. 

Another helpful hint – don’t write down the numbers “just in case.” This is an invitation for further disaster. 

And no, you can’t freeze your cards in a block of ice as Shopaholic’s Rebecca Bloomwood, played by Isla Fisher, does in the upcoming film; she is a shopaholic after all.

Second, track every nickel and dime that escapes your pockets. 

A few Starbucks runs a day never hurt anyone, right? Take a closer look at the amount of money you’re spending on those chic little lattes and you’ll be singing a different tune.

An easy way to see how fast your wallet deflates is through online banking options. By consolidating your accounts at the end of every day, you’ll have a clear understanding of where your money goes.

Once you can recognize your spending patterns it will be easier to see where you need to cut costs the most.

Lauren Adams, a sophomore majoring in marketing, has accumulated thousands in debt over the course of two years. Though many of her purchases are seemingly insignificant, she said they add up.

“One day I sat down and looked at where all my money was going,” Adams said. “I was shocked. I was spending up to $200 a month on DVD’s alone. That’s when I knew something had to change.” 

Next, think about your purchases long and hard. 

In many cases, you’ll find that what you think you want, you really don’t. Instead of buying the first pretty dress you see, consider other dresses and clearance items also.

If you’ve already forgotten about that BCBG ensemble by the time you hit the sack, you made the right choice.

The most important step is also the most obvious – avoid temptation. 

If you’re not standing in the middle of Best Buy, you can’t buy that new video game you could do without. 

Similarly, if you tend to go a little crazy shopping online, block the Web sites that hit your wallet the hardest.

“I’ve learned I can’t ‘browse’ online anymore,” freshman Jesse Wallace said. “If I go to, say Sephora.com, I’ll blow a couple hundred dollars in less than an hour.”

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

When you get the itch to buy something you know you don’t need (or want for that matter) give your closest friend a call to talk through it. 

So it’s time to make a change. You may think you’re helping the economy by spending, but the reality is you’re hurting yourself in the long run.