Shopping is the bane of the existence of some people. Many people dislike it because they just don’t like shopping, it’s tedious, and they just don’t enjoy going to a store full of stuff. Others love it too much and spend too much time and money when it comes to buying things.
You don’t have to be a shopping addict to have a problem with shopping. Maybe you just have a new credit card and it’s been burning a hole in your pocket. Or, maybe your favorite store is having a huge sale and even though you don’t need anything you feel the need to go shop anyway, you know, just in case.
Shopping Addiction
If buying things makes you happy or give you a temporary high, you might have an addiction. If you can’t help but to go shopping, even when the bills are due and you really don’t have money to spend, you might be addicted to shopping. If you have a house full of stuff, much of it new and unused, and you still buy more (could be just because it’s on sale or because it’s cute, you’re likely a shopping addicted.
Just like other addictions, shopping gives you something that is missing in your life. However, it also fills your home with clutter that can add to your misery instead of removing it.
Hoarding
Some people with too much stuff around their homes aren’t addicted to shopping, they’re addicted to stuff, and they are hoarders. While they may keep things that most would call garbage, they can often be collectors of new items as well, spending money on stuff just to add it to their collection.
Just like addiction, hoarding usually stems from a mental health issue. Many people hoard because they grew up without and now that don’t want to feel like they have nothing.
Money In Your Pocket
If shopping doesn’t really give you that rush that shopping addicts feel, and you don’t have a home full of clutter that makes it look like you never get rid of anything that comes into the place, you may just have a problem controlling your money. Maybe it’s not often you have extra, so when you do you feel like it’s burning a hole in your pocket and you need to go buy something.
Impulse Buys
Sometimes those things you buy will be impulse buys. Impulse purchases can also happen for many reasons, and store set stuff up to coerce you into this shopping behavior. You may buy it just because it is located in a convenient area.
For many, these impulse buys are something you quickly regret right after purchase. The lucky ones will march right back in that store and return it. However, those of you embarrassed by your impulses may just take the item home and try to forget.