Page 19 - Book5E
P. 19

already have a support group. FFEF is here to help you. If you feel the compulsion to shop, call your FFEF counselor and talk about it. As one compulsive shopper said, “Alcoholics need to stay away from bars, but it’s tough to stay away from stores or malls. Everyone has to shop sometimes to buy the things he actually needs. There’s too much temptation everywhere.”
If any of the following sound like you, it’s time to do some serious thinking about your shopping habits:
• You buy things because you’re depressed or to bolster your self-esteem.
• You sneak new purchases into the house.
• You don’t need what you bought.
• You feel compelled to shop and buy.
• You rarely use the things you buy.
• You can’t even remember what you’ve recently purchased.
• You have clothes in your closet with the price tags still on them.
Old Habits Die Hard
What you spend your money on and where you spend it is sometimes a matter of habit rather than what you really want or value. For example, some people shop at the store that is closest because they know where the store is so they don’t bother to look elsewhere.
Without planning to do so, James fell into a crowd that was more interested in partying than studying. He was a first-year university student. His parents paid the tuition, while he worked part-time to earn some extra money. His friends loved to party, and he joined them more often then he should until he wasn’t getting enough sleep or studying enough. James’ grades slipped and so did his mood. He started to feel guilty. After all, his parents worked hard for their money
 Why We Spend
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