When bargain hunting is an addiction

Here are six telltale signs of bargain junkies:

• They hit sales and clearance racks when they feel angry or down.

• They spend more than they can afford.

• They see sales as opportunities they can't pass up.

• They feel guilty about their shopping and hide their purchases.

• They spend so much time tracking down deals that their time with family and friends is compromised.

• They routinely forget what they bought and find things in their closets unused.

Unlike other addictions such as drugs or alcohol, compulsive shopping can't be treated cold turkey. In our culture, people can't stop buying altogether. Groceries must be purchased, clothing and shoes replaced every so often and birthday and Christmas gifts bought. But compulsive bargain hunters can learn to wean themselves from their reliance on shopping to feel good.

Simply denying themselves everything won't work, debt experts say, because invariably people will fill this need one way or another.

"Maybe you didn't buy the pocketbook or shoes," Shore says. Then when you go to the grocery store, "you buy the expensive imported cheese, and you say, 'Yeah, but I have to eat.'"

How to break the cycle

The first step for anyone who thinks he or she might have a problem should be to track purchases for two weeks -- down to the penny, Shore says. Though Microsoft Money, Quicken and other computer programs can help, they don't show the impulse buys from the supermarket or the fast food and Starbucks coffee bought with cash.

Moreover, when a compulsive shopper is lined up at the cash register or electronic checkout with some tempting sale item, that person should ask himself or herself:

• Do I need it?

• How will I pay for it?

• What will I do with it?

• Where will I put it?

• What would happen if I waited?

Barger says that when she wants something, she now gives herself 72 hours before she starts doing research to see where it can be found for the best price.

"Then I make myself save for it," she says.

For better or worse, experts say, shopping has become so ingrained in our culture and identity that it's hard for most people to stop.

"Shopping," says Benson, "is the way we search for ourselves and our place in the world."

Breaking the bargain addiction can take some time. A good start, experts suggest, is to find activities that seem to satisfy the same needs:

• If you bond with friends over shopping, team up with them instead on an effort or a cause you are passionate about.

• If feeling thrifty makes you feel good, try rounding up supplies for a charity.

• If the thrill of discovery is your thing, Benson says, find a lecture on a new cutting-edge subject or check out a neighborhood you haven't seen before.

• If shopping gives you a sense of competence, develop your other strengths and talents. What were you good at and what did you enjoy when you were younger? Anytime the urge to shop strikes, turn to other activities you enjoy or would like to become better at, such as painting, dancing or playing the piano.

Published Feb. 14, 2008

< previous |  1 | 2 |