Back in my pre Broke on Purpose Days I was a shopaholic. Now that we’re living Broke on Purpose instead of shopping I’m constantly battling the temptation to slip back into my shopaholic ways. Addiction is described as anything that brings pleasure but with continued actions become compulsive and start to interfere with the ordinary way of life. Simply put, I had a shopping addiction, and even though my addiction wasn’t hardcore like drugs or alcohol it was most certainly an addiction. For many shopping delivers a high that is quickly followed by a low. How many of you have gotten the rush of buying something be it full price or on sale only to be racked with buyer’s remorse as soon as you get that item home?  Even though I experienced many episodes of Buyer’s Remorse, my lack of discipline kept me going back for more and when I couldn’t shop I turned to Pinterest where I fueled my addiction by curating boards dedicated to all the things I wanted to buy when I actually had the money.

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Don’t get me wrong I still have my eye on several key items that I feel could make my closet complete, and I’m sure if I saved up my allowance long enough I could afford those things, but before I whip out my “Treat Yo’ Self” money envelope and spend any money on clothes, shoes, or things that are considered wants instead of needs I always try to imagine myself with that item and then ask the question “Now What?”.  By asking a series of “Now What?” type questions I’m not only addressing the fact that I just spent money, but I’m also opening a door that will allow me to create a much-needed dialogue with myself. This method is very useful, especially if you’re a recovering shopaholic like myself.

For instance, If I’m looking at a pair of shoes, imagine that I’ve purchased them, gotten them home and then I ask myself, now that you have this pair of shoes what are you going to do?…

How has this item benefited your life?

Did you really need it?

Will you get enough wear out of it to justify the price?

Could you have found it cheaper?

What else could you have used that money?

Some may find this to be a bit excessive, but for those who are prone to spending and splurging it’s a great way for them to talk themselves off the ledge without the added judgment of others. Being able to control your spending is not only a sign of financial growth, and self-restraint, but it’s also a sign of maturity and let’s face it the reason why several of us are in the financial situations we are in is because we were naive and immature when it came to our finances.

This is why I keep the values of contentment and discernment close by. I remind myself to be content because God provides everything we need. Discernment is the ability to make a wise decision. Asking yourself the series of “Now What?” questions helps you practice discernment by really breaking the situation down.  Getting out of debt by far is not easy. You have to reprogram your mind and break old habits all while learning how to positively handle your money.