Many of us madly overspend now and again, but for oniomania sufferers, this shopping frenzy is no laughing matter
For up to ten per cent of women worldwide, shopping doesn't just lead to a bit of overspending. They're shopaholics - driven to spend far beyond what they need and far beyond what they can afford.
Why does it happen?
Shopaholism - or oniomania as it's called by psychiatrists - is driven by the same kind of motivation that fuels alcoholism or drug use. A woman feels bad - anxious, lonely, worthless, angry or lacking love. So she goes out and buys things - not only to give herself love, but also to prove to the world at large that she's 'worth it'.
Shopping gives her a high - so she does it again... and again... and again. The more expensive the goods she buys, the better she feels; her brain flooding with 'feel good' chemicals.
Very often, though, as soon as she's spent the money, she realises it was a bad idea. Particularly if she's overdrawn, she feels even more anxious, guilty, scared of the consequences, angry with herself. There's only one way out - shop again.
Facing up to it
Does any of this sound familiar? If you suspect that you're a shopaholic, the first step you need to take is to admit it.
So first, audit your budgeting habits - are you spending beyond your means? And check with friends and family - do they feel you are overspending?
The way out - short-term solutions
- When shopping, make a list of what you need and buy only that.
- Pay with cash - don't use cards or cheques. Take out with you only the money you will need during the day, no more.
- Destroy all your credit cards except an emergency one that you ask a friend to hold for you.
But there's only limited design to play with...
Let's see my work pieces...
BEFORE
My Little Nephew - LEGOLAS!
I'M GETTING MARRIED ~~~!!!
I'M PINK SUPER-WOMAN!!! (there's something wrong with e photo..how cum e chest is flat?)
- Mood:artistic
Finally have the time to upload my recent photo, been lazy last few days surfing net...
Let's picture do the talking, don't wish to explain much....haha
Okay time for Birthday song....wishes...Bla bLa bLa....etc...
yummy yummy Blackforest & Cappuccino cake...
LALALA....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
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AH BISHhhhhh!!!!!
Here yOu gO!!! Cino kana my first sMash on his face!
COOL~!
Next is Kawing, but no picture of his CakEy fAce....
But...
they wanted an revenge...
they chase after all of us, we rUN, we HIDE, we sMasH!
In the END...I hide in toilet, i thought it's SAFE there...
till outside its quiet down i open the door slowly...
ARRGGGG!!!! they force open the door...
Guess what...face; hair; shirt.....all kana with cake...
I'm totally smell like a coffee cake...haha..but I LOVE COFFEE!!!
Didn't Bathe till the next morning..didn't expect to stay overnight...
Feeling coffee the whole night!
- Mood:
dirty
Received my salary,
gooSHh~ feeling dammn anxious to SPENG SPEND SPEND!
Lots of things to buy,
BUT......!!!
I WANT TO BE A CONSCIOUS SPENDER!!!!
Budget myself for shopping, food&drinks, transport......etc...
Got a new wallet frm CalvinKlein,
reasonable price$ ard 100bucks!
its been one year plus i didn't use wallet...
i'll just dump everything in my bag tts all, BAG = WALLET
haha~
finally ! got one which suits me totally...
coz I'm quite particular in the design n quality..
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Thanks Mushroom for the day~
i do enjoy my days with you...
ChEers mUshRoom~
u and your future son!
omg! looks alike!
Papa bb
- Mood:
content
playing e so-call pasasword game, dun really know the actual name for it...
it was fun...
BUT i seriously hate bEER!
I'm still waiting for the next drinking session...
GeRs Wake UP!
- Mood:
drunk
Save direct
If your wage is paid directly into your bank account you could save money each month by setting up a weekly or monthly standing order from your current account into a building society account. This way the money comes out the day you are paid, so you soon get used to the money not being there. You'd be surprised how it adds up!
Keep a spend diary
Write down every single penny you spend for about two months. You'll be shocked at how much money you waste. I was spending over $100 a week buying lunch, take-aways, eating out, and buying magazines.
Set a weekly cash budget
The best thing I find is dividing your spending money (the money you have left after putting money aside for all the bills, rent, car insurance etc) into four and then withdrawing only that amount to spend each week.
Only use cash
Always use cash, then you know exactly where your money has gone. Also, it's much harder to part with your hard-earned cash than it is to sign your name on a slip of paper (or type in your PIN).
And, if you want to have a splurge on something, wait a week before you buy and see if you still really want it!
Walk off your debt
I avoid going into the city centre or expensive department stores so I'm not tempted to make impulse purchases. I also walk into university instead of getting a bus even though it's a 50 minute walk. Since I've been doing it, all my friends have said I've lost quite a bit of weight so it's an added bonus.
Instead of buying magazines, I read the gossip columns on the internet, If you spend up to $5 a month on magazines you're saving yourself up to $60 a year, so it's worth it!
Freeze your assets
If you have a freezer walk around the supermarket and buy freezeable food on 'reduced to clear' price. If you use/freeze straight away you can save loads of money, especially on meat. I've also found that if I make sandwiches for my husband with granary bread it is more filling, so reduces the need to take extras in his packed lunch. Apparently, each slice of granary is roughly equivalent to one and a half of white and one and a quarter of brown bread!
Stick to the list
Use a shopping list and a menu plan and stick to it - then you won't spend out on expensive ready meals or food you end up chucking away.
Look after the pennies
Empty your purse/wallet every night and put all your coppers and five pences into a jar.
littlerio
- Mood: impressed
Gone for X-ray check-up, discover my brain actually got Money Cancer...GooShHh~!
Not yet get my salary, ArrrGGgg!!! GOING CRAZY!
Only left 20bucks! no LIFE!
Stupid IAL still dun wan to issue....
Cannot go party, cannot go shopping, cannot ArrrrRGGG do alot alot of things....!!!!
blame myself, nv save money, unable to save, spend too much....
BLAME WHO?!
MYSELF!
whaha~
- Mood:
blank
This pic taken few weeks ago, with FLUPPY!
she's damn furry..
likes to chew on everything on the floor watever is white colour.
arGGG! even used tissue she also chew/...
Jhane decided her way,
no way we can stop her...goosspp!...
what to do!
OMG... just becoz of the pass..i dunno wat pass la..E pass ; S pass...
making so much trouble...
Today brewing my wine once again,
Shiraz 1987, wooo good one...hahah~
omg...its been how many years i'm not as careless like today,
i accidentally drip the wine of out the bottle of wine...
wasTED!
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Day by day its been almost 1 whole month I didn't update anything here,
busy packing,
busy moving to warehouse,
its a damn bloody place,
no foodcout ard,
its like in prison...ermmm..seems more like in army life probably,
its out of town area,
wearing slipper to work is a NO problem here....haha!
After wOrk, gOoosHH the FEELING OMG its like you BOOK OUT from camp,
tt time after 6pm i feel ohhh i wan to sHOP SHOP SHOP.......
back to civilian life..........hahah, sounds fun right...
But Wendell have to go, BACK to his previous company...
so poor thing in IAL right ?
but things still need to do, booking booking....
No Wendell No Booking...
SobSob...
- Mood: bored
Received my cheque,
WoooHoooO~~~!!
but too bad its a cross cheque,
need to wait till tml,
as i only left 20bucks with me now,
at the moment no smile~
whahah..no money no smile~
Still need to pay my insurance 200++,
didn't have enuff $ to pay for the last 2months...
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Igoring me,
i dun wish to ask much,
i'm not a person who pester ppl,
no point.....
Still get on with my life,
still need to work...
no point making myself miserable for you~
since u didn't care~
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2more weeks left in Fuji Xerox~
BYEBYE~
- Mood: blah
"There's only one thing I regret doing,
loving the person who didn't love me,
and forgetting the one who did."
- Mood: blah
Yaldara Est Shiraz Cabernet 1987
Early in the morning busy brewing my wine, will continue for the next 3days...whaha~
A full-bodied red blend with ripe, spicy, berry fruit flavours with subtle sweet vanillin oak, and a voluptuous fleshy finish.
- Mood:busy
Appt with customer,
okay well still enjoy the night,
maybe i'm too drunk to remember its fun anot...
keke...
ok drank quite alot,
yup...play poker card BIG n SMALL...
feeling unlucky whaha..have to drink quite a few shot NEAT~
drinking is healthy when you feeling moody.
whahah..maybe~ coz you drink n forget..
have a good sleep last night..
And sorry to dirty ya car..
coz i viomit when the car is on the high way...
no choice i've got no plastic bag with me,
one way just viomit out of the window...kekeke~
Lucky it rain this morning..help to wash it off...
save up the effort for washing...whahaha~~~
ThaNks god!
taken photo with LEONARD & WENDELL
- Mood: drunk
but des n peini didn't show up,
e office now is damn quiet,
like funeral,
there's no more laughter like before,
sad....
some suggest me to leave,
some ask me to stay....
my mind is struggling what should i do/choose...
made up my mind...
there's no better reason for me to leave,
as i didn't have enough of experience in this line,
its difficult for me to find a related job as i only have 6month experience in IAL.
I understand it will be tough doing alone,
but really i need to try out if i can do it,
if i nv try and i resign now,
i'll regret in e future...
It will be better if i try out first,
if i cant handle or take it,
its not too late if i give up later...
i'll regret if i don't even try out...
- Mood: indifferent
Decision made by Mr.Ravi,
IAL have to move,
to TUAS...
but not everyone,
only selected ppl needs to,
- Leonard, Wendell, Erwin, Jhane, Rahmat & Me.
Its real damn sad,
already get used to the ppl here,
its like one family...
we play, we joke, we laugh together....
Will miss those who is leaving us,
Desmond, Wavvis, Peini & Michelle...
but still..........erm....there's nothing we can do,
as its Mr.Ravi decision.
HE's CRUEL....!!!!
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I don't dare to think what will happen to me in the warehouse...
its all depends on fate,
making me headache and stress...
will need to be independent enough...
as i'm a selective hearing leh...
whahaha
how how how~~~
Since I don't have enuff experience in shipping line,
what I have to do is to keep on working,
get more confident in what i'm doing...
Likewise,
if you didn't try you didn't know...
its time to be independent and learn...
Its LIFE~
- Mood: calm
Drinking my coffee in the morning,
gooshhh,
accidentally it drips and stain my white shirt....
Eating e Kiwi michelle bought for me,
goooosssHhhhh!!,
it drop n stain again...
Arrggg~~
what happen to me,
so blur...
its not a very obvious,
coffee n kiwi stain....
its okay...
well, what to do~
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Boring in the morning...
not much booking to do,
office is so quiet,
dunno if we're still able to stay in Fuji Xerox,
as Mr Ravi will do the decision, i dunno~
maybe Leonard...
hope not..
I DON'T WANT TO MOVE TO WAREHOUSE!
Wanna clear everything now,
hate myself for making so much trouble for others,
really sorry for my loves one..
I've been thinking since last night,
I think i should let everything go,
no point i keep on holding on without future.
its kinda like wasting everyone's time....
Juz wanna give myself a break and think throughly what i need....
its okay for me as I'm consider a independent person,
but of coz there's time I'll be weak...
I need to as i dun wish to regret in the future.
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As I get used on staying in my comfort zone,
I feel safe staying where i am now,
eventhough negetive incidents will hapen,
but,
I should learn to step out of it,
to explore,
I dun wish the same things happen on me again,
just let go and think first.....
my Sis, jie-fu & Legolas came~
He's growing fast,
he's always smiling sweetly,
he love playing with water alot,
anything is cold or watery he love to play with it.
See how he smile while playing~
So sWeet right~ can't even see his eyes...wahahah~~~ Cutie Cutie pIe~Arggg~~~
went for dental check-up,
found out another side need to do root canel !
OMG~!
how? again? surgery?money?
impossible for me to go and do again as its too DAMN EXPENSIVE.
but its swollen if i didn't do it fast, it'll becum worst right no?
No choice,
need to think abt it first,
so okay since I'm there already,
then just do some cleaning n polishing...
Wooo..food stain coffee stain!
YuCkkS!
I hate dental~
throwing money inside my mouth...
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correct?
but wat to do, all this money cannot be save,
I just need to do some filings on one tooth,
I have been dragging appt from 2months ago,
coz I'm a big spender!
not enuff money to do....
Yst evening after work went shopping alone,
as Jhane need to go for her facial,
so no partner to shop with me...
sob sob...
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shop e same place...
orchard.....oRchaRd.......ORCHARD!
I need to get one more pair of covered heels,
but didn't find it,
BUT whahaha i bought new perfume frm SASA,
its quite ex...
but.....i like e smell...Ermmmm.....
gooOsHh...its so nice!
without thinking twince, i BOUGHT IT!
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