I don’t know about you, but I have a problem. I mean, I have numerous problems, but the main one being my spending habits and it calls for something drastic.
So, here we go…
Hi, my name is LD, and I am a shopaholic.
I am. Seriously.
There are no two ways about it. I spend a shit tonne of money on clothes, shoes and cheap jewellery. I always seem to neeeeeed it, but we all know I neeeeeeed it as much as I need a hole in my head.
Very recently, as in yesterday-recent, I sat down and took a long hard look at the purchases I had already made this year. In fact, I didn’t even get through the year, albeit only 12 days, because I was pretty well gobsmacked in my spending for the last five days.
So I’ve decided it has to stop. And, just like I did when I quit smoking, I need to go cold turkey. But this cold turkey has got a plan because I know simply saying stop is not going to help. I have to put procedures in place to hold me accountable, and it is going to start with a whole 28-day challenge of no unnecessary spending.
No purchases at all!
No new dresses for a night out.
No new work pants because I’m still trying to find the “perfect pair”.
No new shoes just because they’re cute and I haven’t got a pair in that style.
No new iPhone cover/wallet/necklace/activewear just because they’re on a ‘never-to-be-repeated-sale’.
Let’s call it like it is …. it’s bullshit!
So now we move to the how and I am going to assume that because you are reading this that you may also be a bit of a shopping addict considering the 28-day challenge too. You may even have a tab open with a shopping cart full… We’ve got this!
THE HOW
Step one – Accountability. We need to own our addictive flaws, step up to the 28-day challenge and tell someone who will make us accountable – be it partners, besties or Facebook friends. Just for the record, I am telling all of you. Yes, YOU are going to make me accountable.
Step two – Delete every email received in our inboxes that revolve around spending money: all those clothing boutiques, shoe shops and jewellery stores. Delete. Delete. Delete. Better yet lets UNSUBSCRIBE but do so without looking at the content and whatever we do WE MUST NOT get sucked in by the subject line! I don’t care if it says the whole store is 100% off, just for you, just for tonight…
Stay strong, unsubscribe and D. E. L. E. T. E!
Step three – We cannot believe, not for a second, that we are destined to have that dress/bag/ring just because it keeps showing up in our social media feeds. It is a ploy. It is a lie. It is not our destiny. It is all very intelligent algorithms and cookies set to fool us addicts and steal from our bank balances! Ok, a little dramatic but let us pause for effect anyway…….
Step four – Be aware. This is harder than it sounds, I know because I’ve been trying. We need to take notice of our ‘past’ shopping habits. Is it late at night when the kids have gone to bed when your cart gets full or maybe after a coffee date with your super-stylish friend who had some cute shoes you’d love under your bed. Or perhaps it’s upon waking in the morning and having “nothing” to wear that sets you off on a epic shopping spree.
Habits and emotions rule our shopping addictions. So before we put anything in our carts, we need to ask ourselves, more than once, “Can I live without this?” The answer is generally and more than fucking likely a big bold YES! So shut it down!
Step five – For every cart or about-to-cart item let us take note of its cost, and at the end of our 28-day challenge, we can tally it up and see just how much we’ve saved. Like saved-saved. Genuinely. Then we will let this achievement give us back our sense of control and power over our lives and futures. It will give us a foot up for bigger and better things – and I do not mean a relapse into a massive shopping frenzy after the 28 days.
Alright, ladies (and gentlemen) who is with me?
Who wants to gain back control of their spending and find something deeper and more soulful in their life than material possessions? Who wants to see their bank balance grow and to feel abundant? Who wants to have the freedom that more time and money can bring to your life?
Yep I do too. Let’s do this!
LD ||
Reality Writes by London Dene 