Addicted to Internet Shopping? – Strategies to Break Free

Posted by MoneySavvy on Aug 15th, 2010 | no comments home title

The internet makes shopping easier than ever before. All you have to do is point and click on the items you want, type in your credit card number and they’re on their way. It can be a big time saver, and it’s so convenient.

The downside of internet shopping is that it’s easy to become addicted to it. Some people get a buzz from spending their money, and are addicted to shopping for that reason. Online shopping makes it even easier to spend and get that buzz. Also, you usually shop online by yourself, so your friends and family can’t see your addiction. However, when your credit card bill arrives, it can be impossible to deny that you have a serious problem. Here are some strategies to break free of an internet shopping addiction.

Enlist the support of friends and family. If you think your internet shopping has gotten out of control, admit to yourself, supportive friends and family members that you have a problem. Ask them to encourage you and hold you accountable for your spending habits.

Keep your credit cards just for emergencies. It might be time to put away credit cards so you’re not tempted to spend. It might also be time to cut them up and cancel your accounts. That will force you to find the cash for every purchase you make and give each purchase more thought.

Start a new hobby. When you’re trying to break a habit, it’s important to replace it with something else. Start a new hobby to keep you busy and away from the computer. If there are certain hours where internet shopping is more tempting than others, arrange to be busy doing something else at that time.

Set a budget. By planning ahead of time how you will spend the money you do have, you may be less tempted to spend frivolously. Before you make any purchase, refer to your budget and see if you have allocated money for that. If you haven’t, don’t spend it.

Set goals for your money. If you are saving for a large purchase, that may motivate you not to spend needlessly. Whenever you’re tempting to do a little internet shopping, remember your greater goal. That small purchase now will take you farther away from your goal of owning a new house or new car, or taking a family trip.

You may need professional help. Sometimes we need professional help to deal with problems we can’t resolve alone. If you are unable to break free of your addiction, seek an understanding counsellor. They will help you understand your addiction and overcome it.

Internet shopping is a common addiction. If you’ve become addicted to internet shopping, trying the above strategies will help you overcome it and get your spending back under control.