Are you a Shopaholic?

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Just because you can meet all your financial obligations, does this mean that you don�t have a problem? Not necessarily. If spending money makes you feel good or lifts your spirits, you may want to look deeper into why you like to spend money.

How do you know when you have a problem with shopping? Do you lie about your purchases or hide them? These are few of the typical signs of an over spender.

Do you buy 100 pieces of an item just because it is on sale? Never mind the fact that you won�t be able to use that many pieces in a lifetime. For most people it is not the items that have significance. It is the quest or thrill of finding a bargain. It may also be the high they feel at the moment of purchase. Going into debt is an afterthought for this kind of shopper.

Whatever a person�s drug of choice is, it is only a temporary substitute for what they are missing in life. Your drug, whatever it may be, will never fill the void causing you have negative emotions. These emotions will usually cause you to repeat your addictive behavior. Debtors Anonymous is the best treatment for this type of behavior. There is a 12-step program for people whose spending has gotten out of control. The members of this fellowship will teach others how to deal with deep seated feelings that have caused destructive behavior. You will also learn how to deal with these feeling without ending up at Walmart.

Just because you can pay all your bills does not mean you are not a compulsive shopper. If you are using shopping to relieve other stresses in your life or find yourself buying 10 pairs of shoes in one shopping trip just to feel better you might want to take a closer look at the root of the situation.

Here are some ways you can start to deal with your compulsive spending. If you find yourself with an excessive amount of debt or if your spending is causing family problems you should start with a visit to a Debtors Anonymous meeting or a debt counselor.

Before you can fix any kind of problem you first have to admit it exists. If your credit cards are maxed out or you can�t get your closet doors closed you probably have a problem. Admitting that you have a problem is the first step.

Analyze your spending habits. Are you a binge spender? This is someone that may not spend constantly, but when they do spend they make it worth their while. Or you may spend consistently going from one credit card to another. Or does your spending consist of buying certain types of items, such as: clothes or computer equipment. Once you determine the type of spender you are you will be one step closer to the solution.

Try to determine what need or emotion your shopping is fulfilling. Are you lonely or angry? You might be trying to relieve stress or get back at someone. You are getting something out of over spending or you wouldn�t be doing it. Determining what feeling is being met will get you closer to dealing with your compulsive spending.

Analyze the amount of time you are putting into this compulsion. This is time that you could be spending on something less destructive. Most addictions take a great deal of time from your family. Try to substitute this behavior with a more positive behavior.

If you follow these simple steps you should be well on your way to changing your behavior. Debtors Anonymous will help you examine why you spend and help you to deal with your emotions. If you have the willingness to change the help is available.