Thanks to Helen being generous enough to share her experiences and tell people about her experiences she saved me.I watched her on the television and then I realised I was completely in denial about being a shopaholic. I spent thousands of pounds with a credit card on designer bargains storing them in a huge wardrobe to give away as gifts. I kidded myself for years that I was a clever shopper, buying designer clothes and accessories in the sales and that I saved myself a fortune. In fact I created a huge debt. I would trail the shops for hours on end buying mountains of reduced clothing and accessories to give as christmas and birthday presents to friends and relatives. I now realise I no longer need to impress anybody with lavish gifts to be liked. I began to realise I am enough and started to read self books and use hypnosis to help myself quit the need to shop. I have destroyed my credit cards and only shop for items when I need them. Now if i see a bargain I only buy one of what I can afford and ONLY if I NEED it. The hardest challenge for me 2 weeks ago was to buy a friend a token gift for her birthday which I could afford instead of an expensive reduced designer item like I had previously on credit. I sadly have to report she never thanked me, when I saw her she me ignored me and I haven’t heard from her since. At the time it really really hurt but now I am grateful for the experience because it proved alot to me. It proved I needed to love and respect myself more and the experience has made me stronger.I was terrified of upsetting my friend. I was praying she would be decent and respect me and when she didn’t I was shocked. I was extremely hurt and saddened by the experience. Then I started to notice all the beautiful people in my life and I am starting to respect them more and also myself.  I thank my friend for giving that dreadful experience it made me wake up smell the flowers and see myself for the people pleaser I used to be. Now I enjoy living within my means and I feel strong and in control which is a wonderful feeling. I am repaying my debt with a monthly loan and look forward to the day I can start saving some money.

Hi Chloe,

you are an inspiration to all of us shopaholics, I seem to do exactly that, buy reduced expensive items to then be not thanked for it and not get anything back in return. Some people you can never change but you can however change yourself and only you can do it.  It seems you are sorting your life and addiction out and I admire you for it.  You don’t need friends who don’t give a shit and are selfish just remember she is the one who has lost out! Jo

Your lovely THANK YOU :0) yes I found all the bargain hunting took all my house keeping money so I had nothing left to live on. I find now I ATTEMPT to buy what I need when I need it. I hope to live within a budget now and if I see a bargain I say to myself I don’t need it and imagine if i had not gone shopping and stayed at home I would never have seen it and never known about it. I do have lapses, I saw the most gorgeous bikini for my daughter in the shop the other day in the sale. I picked it up and was about to buy it and go into my overdraft ,then my beautiful good true friend said she doesn’t need it snatched it off me and put it back on the rack. I was really cross and began to feel like a spoilt child wanting it and got all tangled up inside.Then I realised my daughter did not need it she has several swimsuites and bikinis.I felt this lump in my chest and in my throat and I fought the anxiety to buy it. I wanted to buy it so much and it pained me not to. But I didn’t and I am so proud of me and a little warm glow made me realise my friend was really supporting me and I felt blessed she saved me. She is a true friend but I didn’t realise it at the time. I got cross inside but then i could see she was helping me. I think am doing really well now and have not been bargain hunting for several months then the shopaholic takes hold of me again and I get this mad drive to spend spend. I still haven’t heard from my other friend. I am focusing on the people I don’t need to please the friend who snatched the bikini off me. Thank you for your reply it helps me believe i can beat this shopping addiction to get a thrill from buying and people pleasing to make me feel better when I can work on myself. I have started a vegetable patch to keep me out of the shops and have hens to produce fresh eggs and I attempt to bake and paint. I also go for walks in the fresh spring air and listen to the birds and look at all the beautiful spring flowers. Anything to keep me out of the shops.

WOW you are so lucky to have the facilities to keep hens/chickens!

Yes I am lucky. I now have 3 rescued chickens. My last chicken died at the age of 11 she loved watching eastenders and I lived in a little 2 up two down town house. People believed her age because she was with me before i met my husband 9 years ago. Chickens make great pets, the kids love them and they give something back an egg every day. However they make a dreadful mess of the garden, they love to dig everything up.