shopping addiction??

[roseofblack25]

Does anyone feel like they have a "shopping addiction"?? I just checked my visa statement online and think I may have a shopping problem...well at least this past month!! Plus I have spent most of today on ebay looking and bidding on things I really don't need...

What really defines if you have a shopping addiction or not??

I am pretty good when it comes to shopping. I have a ton of money saved up (well for my age anyway, I know a lot of people my age spend paycheques before they even get them), I buy almost everything on sale and rarely splurge on anything unless its something I know I won't ever find or get on sale.

I can also go through long periods where I spend no money at all because nothing catches my eye or I know i don't need anything or I just don't want anything. Then I will go through these periods where I spend a ton of money and shop whether I need something or not. Right now I am going through one of those spending tons of money periods when I really don't need anything...

[Sally888]

I dont even want to get into this but I loves to shop lol. Too much.

[lekate]

I maxed out my MC and had to curb my shopping. WHOO that's one way to learn. I now budget for *everything* less sponteneity but, less stressful.

[Trinigal]

I went on a no-buy for three months this year and while it was difficult at first, it sure helped me to assess my shopping habits. Bought a whole lot of beauty products in Europe earlier this year and still trying to find space for them. Might have to go back on the no-buy again.

[ashley_9352]

I love shopping and actually just came off a no-buy for a month... now when I go shopping I feel like there is nothing I want or need. I feel like I've seen it all before. It's kind of refreshing!

[wimbly11]

I may be addicted :p But not in an out of control way, LOL. I just really enjoy it!!

[roseofblack25]

I am at one of those awkward stages where I know I have too much stuff, but at the same time a lot of it is old stuff...Like I have clothing from when I was in grade 8 still and that was 7 years ago!! Plus a lot of my stuff is like band tees and everything from highschool. I haven't changed size wise just gotten taller so have been wearing the same old stuff forever. My parents used to buy us stuff if it was needed and since I never changed in size I rarely got new things. Maybe an outfit or two for each season, or if there was something I wanted and it was on sale I would get something new but that was it.
So now that I am making money, I feel like I have to shop for professional stuff for work (which I badly do), but still can't part with any of my "casual" stuff which is practically everything I own because I still like most of my stuff and some of it I can wear to work if I style it right.

[terryberry]

I am so jealous that grade 8 was 7 years ago for you!!!
I think I have t shirts older than you

As far as having a shopping addiction, here are some questions to ask:
Are you meeting your financial goals and obligations?
Are you paying only the minimum balance on your cc's?
Do you have a savings account?
It all depends on your comfort level, financial style and long term goals.

[roseofblack25]

LOL!! it seems like a long time for me to have clothes...my sister is somewhat lucky she was heavy all through school and has since dropped a ton of weight so she NEEDS clothes that fit...so whenever she wants to go shopping its like yes you NEED new things. When I want to go shopping its like *insert eye roll* don't you already have two dressers and a closet full?!

Ok now the questions...

Are you meeting your financial goals and obligations?
Yes to the obligations that I do have (which at the moment aren't many). I don't pay rent or anything right now because I am still at home, but I do put the money away that would go towards rent and other payments so I can save up for when I am on my own. Almost all of my pay cheques go in my bank account. My parents want it that way...that I stay here at the house until I am either moving in with a friend/roommate, getting married and moving in with someone, or can afford something nice alone so I don't have to live with/in/around the sketchy areas. Where I live is expensive and I can actually find way cheaper nicer apartments in Toronto! So right now I would either be living in a decent place stressing about money and living pay cheque by pay cheque, or living in a dump and saving maybe 25% of my pay cheques each month.

Are you paying only the minimum balance on your cc's?
I pay every Visa bill in full when it comes in. I have a very low limit (1,000) but I wouldn't want higher since I don't need anything higher. I use my visa for almost everything because I get cash back and there is no fee when I use it. My debit card charges $1 or something like that every time I use it so I just stick with cash or my visa. The only downside to the low limit is if I were to need to book tickets or something to travel I wouldn't be able to because of the low limit. Also when I had my wisdom teeth surgery it was over $2000 and I never realized that my visa and my debit were capped at $1000, so my parents had to put the rest on their debit and I had to pay them back because I never thought of that cap being on my debit before I went in for surgery or I would have brought cash!

Do you have a savings account?
I have a savings account and a money master account. I have had the savings account my whole life (my parents set it up not long after I was born). They started saving here and there for us so that we had a start when we were done school. Unfortunately most of the initial savings from when I was younger was used up for school and my wisdom teeth surgery last fall! So I am down to what I am making at my current job which is still a lot for my age I guess...My money master account is higher interest and I had it set up when I started working at Tim Horton's when I was 16. The job didn't last long ( I quit after 4 months because they treated us like dirt) so the account has basically sat there till now. Every so often I transfer all but about $500 to my money master to get more interest. I am also trying to set up a tax free savings account so I can put the max in there each year. I guess I must have enough saved because every time I go to the bank they try to talk me into bonds/stocks/gic's etc because I apparently have too much money just "sitting there"...

[terryberry]

It sounds like you're all set and have a good plan, enjoy looking for new purses

[roseofblack25]

hehe thanks!! right now ebayers are keeping me from buying more because they keep outbidding me last second before something ends!!

[tsem2]

i think im on the same boat as you.. i've spent waaaay too much money for the last 2 months. it's ridiculous. i made a promise to myself that i will not spend money on makeup for the next 6 months.. and it's been only 3 wks and im doing pretty good. but i guess im a little too early to speak. LOL

ps: i've been spending my money on warehouse sales. not such so much on ebay stuff. altho i do spend hours on ebay just browsing. LOL

[eleventh0fapril]

i use to spent hours and hours and hours like everyday on ebay back when i was in first year university...you know ? that's when i had student loan money LOLLL. but now, im in huge debt and i spend just as much but rarely on ebay now. mostly just other online stores and warehouse sales and when things go on sale

[roseofblack25]

so I just spent $150 today....but to be fair if I bought everything at regular price it would have cost me over $300!! I love sales...huge sucker for them...and most of the stuff I bought I did need...

[eri]

just an FYI: I get a lot of 'professional' stuff at Thrift stores, espeically on half price days! Yesterday I got two RW&CO pants (brand new), a barely used 2pc Jones New York suit and two shirts for under 30$