Shopping addiction is real. Here’s what five real-life shopaholics have to say about their little addiction.
Do you feel like the world gets better every time you shop? Does shopping make you feel elated? Well, then you’re addicted to shopping! Today, especially with the advent of online shopping, shopping in general has become an addiction, a true evil. If God could rework his list of deadly sins, he’d surely add shopping to the list as the eighth deadliest sin. He’d even probably add to his list of commandments, probably an 11th commandment – Thou must not give into the temptation that is SHOPPING.
The thing about shopping addiction is that it has a rather unpleasant effect on one’s finances and addicted souls hardly realise it until it is too late. And, by the time they realise it, their addiction would have already left a huge dent in their finances – maxed out Credit Cards, multiple loans, zilch savings. Scary, right? Anyway, not to worry! We totally understand you. That’s why we’ve compiled the below list of confessions from real-life shopaholics that will help you get a clear idea whether you’re a shopping addict or not.
Additional Reading: Shopping With A Credit Card Has Benefits!
Ruchi Panwar, 34, Mumbai
It was usually the boredom. I mean, working for 9 hours in a day and then having nothing fun to do once I’m out of office led me to go on long shopping sprees. I used to spend my evenings on weekdays checking out all the shops in the nearby mall. And, on weekends, it used to be gifting time. Don’t be mistaken – it was gifting myself time, not gifting others. Buying stuff for myself helped me beat the boredom, and slowly, I realised that I didn’t have any savings at all. My entire income was spent on buying stuff for myself and paying rent.
Raghu Nair, 30, Chennai
I would like to admit that I am a shopping addict. It all started a few years back when I had a bad breakup with my then girlfriend. I just couldn’t deal with it and I started ordering stuff on Amazon and Flipkart to fill the void I felt. My first purchase was an Xbox to while away time. But the first purchase led to another and then it just went on and on. I used to buy myself all the new tech stuff that hit the market. It did help me get over my breakup. However, it has become an addiction and now I can’t stop myself from buying things online. Repercussions? Well, let’s just say that I have three maxed-out Credit Cards, a loan and zero savings.
Additional Reading: Online Shopping Tips And Tricks To Save Money
Jagan Kumar, 28, Orissa
Let me start by saying that I suffer from depression. For those of you who didn’t know, it’s a REAL thing. Of course, therapy helps. But somehow it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted something more. I always had a thing for shoes. And, guess what? I started buying shoes just like that. It made me feel so good just getting my hands on a new pair of shoes. You wouldn’t believe me, but I’ve got, like, 30 pairs of shoes already. Oh, and an empty bank account.
Alisha John, 24, Bangalore
Thank God, my parents are rich! I don’t how I would have survived if that wasn’t the case. I study in one of the top colleges in Bangalore and my lifestyle is really over the top. For me, it is always about looking good and, of course, better than the others in my college. It’s all about Zara, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, H&M and all that for me. I can easily say that I spend easily around 2 to 3 lakhs in a year just on clothes, shoes and accessories. It must be someone’s yearly income somewhere, but I’m high maintenance, you see. No guilt feelings here.
Shaunak Srivastava, 35, Delhi
I have got a craze for iPhones. Every time a new iPhone is launched, I make sure that I buy it. And, we all know that iPhones aren’t a cheap affair here. So, for me, it’s like a lakh a year on just buying iPhones. My addiction is such that I even ended up getting a loan last year to just buy the iPhone XS Max that cost me a whopping 1.25 lakhs. The debts? Well, if you must know, then a fair share of my monthly income goes towards servicing my loan and Credit Card EMIs. But, I guess I’m making enough to cater to this little addiction of mine.
Additional Reading: How To Get Over Your Shopping Addiction
So, after reading the above confessions, do you think you too have a shopping addiction that’s hurting your finances? No worries! We’d say that it’s not a bad thing to shop every now and then, but you must do your part when it comes to keeping enough money aside as savings. How about you start by putting a small amount in a Fixed Deposit every month? Click the link below to get started.