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My First Book, “UnShopping,” is Now Available on Amazon!

I am very excited to announce that my first e-book, “UnShopping:  Recovery Solutions from an Ex-Shopaholic,” is now available!  This book contains the best of my smart shopping solutions from “Recovering Shopaholic,” categorized into logical sections related to various shopping-related situations and challenges.   These solutions have all been revised and enhanced from the original versions that appeared on the blog.

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How the Book Came to Be

In January 2013, I created “Recovering Shopaholic” in an effort to heal myself from a decades-long compulsive shopping problem.  Although I had no idea how many people would read my words, I knew there were many others out there who struggled with shopping too often, buying too much, and trying to fill emotional voids with clothes, shoes, and accessories.   I hoped to keep myself accountable and potentially inspire and connect with those other shopaholics who wished to recover and trade their full closets for full lives.

From the beginning, I made an effort to include useful tips and suggestions for my readers in all of my posts.   As I progressed with my recovery, I shared my insights gained and tools developed so that others could apply them to their own lives and learn to shop more consciously and wisely.

For a time, I captured many of my strategies on the “Recovery Tips” page of my website as a quick and easy reference resource.  However, as the months progressed and I had written over a hundred posts, it became increasingly unwieldy to maintain that page.  Hence, the idea for this book – and my second book on the topic of wardrobe management (coming this summer) – was born!

More About the Book

“UnShopping:  Recovery Solutions from an Ex-Shopaholic” contains 48 tips and strategies organized into six sections that address particular facets of the shopping experience.  This book may be read cover to cover or used as a reference to address an individual reader’s specific issues and questions.

The book begins with twelve “quick tips” you can use to start shopping smarter right away.  From there, I delve into topics related to accountability, general shopping strategies, and tips for before you shop as well as for while you’re in the store.  I also include a number of “special topics,” such as resale shopping, shopping with friends, shopping during times of transition, and dealing with holiday shopping challenges.

Table of Contents

Section One – 12 Quick Tips to Start Shopping Smarter

  • Set a Clothing Budget and Stick to It!
  • Shop With a List and Only Buy What’s on That List
  • Never Buy Something on Sale That You Wouldn’t Pay Full Price For
  • Always Aim for Quality Over Quantity!
  • Wear Your Favorite Clothes When Shopping
  • Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired
  • Everything You Buy Should Be as Close To a “10” as Possible
  • Return Anything You Haven’t Worn Within a Month
  • Take a “Power Pause” Before Buying
  • Don’t Buy “Wardrobe Orphans”
  • Buy For Your Current Body and Lifestyle
  • Buy Pieces that Resonate With Your Personal Style Aesthetic

Section Two – Accountability

  • Track Your Spending
  • Track What You Buy
  • Track What You Do and Don’t Wear
  • Do a Closet Inventory
  • Set a Clothing Budget
  • Set Some Goals around Your Shopping and Recovery
  • “Cold Turkey” May Not be the Answer
  • Consider Setting a “One-In, One-Out” Rule
  • Set Limits on How Many Items You Can Buy
  • For Your Consideration… A Purchasing Rule Related to Item Categories

Section Three – General Shopping Tips and Strategies

  • Sometimes “Cheap” is Really More Expensive
  • How to Successfully Shop a Sale
  • Why You Might Want to Skip the Next “Big Sale”
  • How to Avoid Three Major Shopping Mistakes
  • How to Shop Smarter Online
  • Avoiding the “Serial Return Phenomenon”

Section Four – Before You Shop

  • Shopping Lessons From Your Closet Favorites
  • Learn from Your Shopping Mistakes
  • Shop for Your Life!
  • Why Create a Shopping Priorities List and How to Do It
  • Focus on Wardrobe Needs Instead of Wants
  • Don’t Neglect Key Areas of Your Wardrobe

Section Five – While You’re in the Store

  • Don’t Focus Too Much on Sizes
  • Fitting Room Tips
  • Aim for “8”s or Higher
  • Questions to Ask Before Buying Anything New
  • The Wrong Reasons for Buying Something
  • Salespeople Are Not Your Friends!
  • Try On New Pieces Again at Home

Section Six – Special Topics

  • How to Incorporate New Fashion Trends
  • The Pros and Cons of Resale Shopping
  • Tips for Successful Resale Shopping
  • A Tricky Situation… Shopping with Friends
  • How to Shop for a Life in Transition
  • Dealing with Black Friday and Cyber Monday
  • Alternate Ways of Approaching Holiday Gifts

Questions You May Have…

Q. Where can I buy the book?

A. The book is available via the Amazon Kindle Store, Barnes & Noble NookPress, and through Smashwords.

Q. What if I don’t have a Kindle, Nook, or other e-reader?

A. My book can also be read using the Free Kindle Reader App for your Web Browser, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android device.

Q. Is this book available in print format?

A. No, it’s a digital book.

Q. How long is the book?

A. The PDF version of the book is 98 pages long with a total of 33,690 words (the number of pages in e-readers varies based upon font size and other settings).  The best part about the book is that you can start anywhere by selecting the particular section or solution that’s most relevant to your individual needs.

Q.  Can you really call yourself an “Ex-Shopaholic”?

A. If you read this blog regularly, you may have raised an eyebrow at my referring to myself as an “ex-shopaholic” in the subtitle of the book.  I actually struggled a bit with that one myself, but I ultimately decided to go with it, for two reasons.

First, the book title is much stronger with “ex-shopaholic” than “recovering shopaholic” (especially since “recovery solutions” is also in the title).  And second, I believe in the power of intention.  While I may not be fully recovered from my compulsive shopping problem yet, I’m well on my way and I believe that I will be there before too long.  So I decided to declare myself as an ex-shopaholic now, stand in that place of power and intention, and continue working on my recovery each and every day.

A Final Note

I want to extend a sincere thank you to all of my readers, especially those who have been with me for a while.  I couldn’t have written my book without your support and encouragement.  You’re helped to guide the shape of the blog through your questions and comments – and just knowing you’re out there.  Whether or not you ever purchase my book, I am grateful to you for helping me to make it happen.  I have now crossed off one of the key items on my “bucket list” and I’m feeling proud and satisfied at my accomplishment.

If you do choose to read the book, I hope you’ll find my solutions helpful in your journey to shop smarter, cultivate a workable wardrobe, and place shopping into its rightful place in your life.  If you enjoy the book, I’d love for you to share your thoughts and post a review on Amazon.  Your endorsements will help to spread the word about my book and help others who struggle with overshopping.

As I mentioned above, I plan to release a second e-book this summer on the topic of wardrobe management (title TBD).  The target publication for that book is early July and the format and length will be similar to “UnShopping.”  You’ll be the first to know (besides my husband and a few close friends, of course) when that book is available, so stay tuned…

38 thoughts on “My First Book, “UnShopping,” is Now Available on Amazon!”

  2. Congratulations Debbie! What an achievement. I’ve already purchased the book and am looking forward to your second one.

  3. That’s awesome Debbie! I am so excited for you. I have purchased the book and know I’ll enjoy it.

    • Thank you, Tonya! I’d love to know what you think after you read it. Hope you find it helpful!

  4. Congratulations Debbie! What a fantastic accomplishment! You are a talented writer as evidenced by this blog. I just purchased your book and can’t wait to read it. Probably all in one sitting today. And I’ll do the same when your next book comes out. Although I’ve followed your blog since the beginning, I know it won’t hurt to continue to reinforce all these ideas.

    • I’m so happy that longtime readers like you are eager to read the book, Kim! I actually reinforced the ideas for myself as I wrote the book 🙂 Repetition never hurts any of us… I’d love to get your thoughts after you read it.

  5. Congratulations on finishing your Ebook, Debbie! That is such a wonderful accomplishment and you should be so proud of yourself. I think the book will be extremely helpful. I don’t even think people realize they have a shopping problem until they start learning more about it…and the way you write and describe the “symptoms” of being a shopaholic are so clear and easy to understand. Good luck with your second book, can’t wait to hear more about that one!

    • Thanks, Ry! I AM proud of myself 🙂 You’re right that many people don’t realize they have a shopping problem. I didn’t see my problem for the longest time. I just thought I liked to shop and maybe spent a bit too much at times. But clearly it was more than that. I definitely hope my book will be helpful for many. I’m glad that blog has touched a lot of people and I hope my books will do the same…

  6. Let me add my congratulations, Debbie. You have much accomplished since the start of your blog. Best wishes.

    • It’s great to hear from someone else who’s been around since the beginning, Cornelia. I’ve really appreciated your support and good wishes!

  7. Debbie,
    You have published a book. Much hard work, all those words. And you mastered them. You are no longer a fledgling writing, an aspiring writer. You are a real writer, and now you are an author. It’s a great feeling. And along with writing a book you are mastering the art of un-shopping. This is a year of great accomplishments. Congratulations!

    I’ve purchased your book, and I’d like to let any “new readers” to your blog and to your book know that that your work is not limited to only those who feel they have a shopping addiction. Anyone, both male and female, who has a full closet of clothes, and only wears a handful of what is there, will identify and benefit from reading “UnShopping: Recovery Solutions from an Ex-Shopaholic.”

    • I really appreciate your kind words and support, Terra. Thank you so much for posting such a nice review on Amazon, too. It means a lot to me, especially coming from an accomplished writer like you! Your words above really touched me, especially, “You are a real writer, and now you are an author.” You’re right – it IS a great feeling!

      Thanks for writing that my work is not limited to those who have a shopping addiction. In the beginning, I thought the scope of my writing would be a lot smaller than it’s ended up being. I’m happy to be able to help anyone who struggles with their wardrobe in any way and I hope to continue to do so for a long time to come!

  8. You’re such a clear, thoughtful and easy-to-understand writer. Congratulations! I can only say that reading this blog regularly (and from the beginning) has helped me to get clear about my own relationship to my clothing and how it reflects on my broader beliefs and values about my self. You’ve had a big impact on me.

    • I didn’t know you’ve been reading my blog since the beginning, Happy Forgiver, but I really appreciate your kind words. I’m so glad my blog has been helpful to you! Our relationships to clothing are very complex and I continue to uncover new layers all the time. I’m happy that sharing my insights has been able to impact other people in a positive way.

  9. Congrats, Debbie! I have added it to my wishlist and plan to purchase once my budget is back in order.

    • Thanks so much, Melissa! I hope you enjoy the book and find it helpful to you. Best wishes with that budget, too!

  11. Just bought it! Good on you Debbie – a great achievement. I’m looking forward to reading it.

    • I appreciate your support, Katy! Please let me know what you think of the book. I hope you find it helpful!

  12. Congratulations Debbie! I don’t consider myself a big shopper but in reading your table of contents there are so many helpful topics I look forward to learning more about.

    • Thank you, Diane! I’m always happy to learn that my writing is also helpful to those who don’t overshop. I think most people (myself included, of course!) could learn to shop smarter. I need to re-read my own tips from time to time to cement the knowledge 🙂

  13. Congratulations Debbie on your book!
    I agree with Terra that everyone who has more clothes than they actually wear can benefit from reading it. I wasn’t a shopaholic but I certainly had way too many clothes that I didn’t wear. You certainly helped me look at some of the reasons why and gave strategies for dealing with the problem. Thank you again and I’m sure your book will be a great success!

    • I appreciate your kind words, Megan! I’m so happy to have found an audience of BOTH compulsive shoppers AND those who struggle with having too many clothes and other wardrobe challenges. My second book will focus on wardrobe management tips. I was going to put everything in one book, but I had more content than I thought. Not a bad problem to have!

  14. Congratulations. I know how hard it is. I’ve just published my first novel and am currently going through the hidden circle of Dante’s Inferno that is sweetly called “formatting your book for Smashwords”!

    • Thanks, Gillie, and congratulations on the publication of your novel! I haven’t done print on demand yet, but I’ve heard the horror stories about formatting. I will save that “hidden circle of Dante’s Inferno” for a bit later…

  15. Congrats!!! It sounds great, and I will definitely be checking it out. I’ve been so impressed by your methodical and clear steps for combating this problem, as well as your focus. I still feel so scattered!

    • Thanks, Cristina! I appreciate your kind words. Sometimes I still feel scattered, too… I think you’re doing great overall. I always like reading your posts and it seems you’ve made some epiphanies as of late. It takes time and a lot of effort to recover from a compulsive shopping problem, but I have faith that you will do it!

  16. Congratulations Debbie! That must be so wonderful :-). You’re doing such a great job on the blog and now a book. I’m sure it will be a big hit!

    • Thank you, Mette! Yes, it does feel wonderful to have written my first book. I appreciate your kind words and I hope you’re right about my book being a big hit!

  17. Congratulations on publishing your first book! I am still writing mine and I know how difficult this process can be. This is a wonderful achievement, bravo!

    • Thanks, Lisa, and best of luck to you with finishing your book! I’d love to hear about it when it’s released (even if it has nothing to do with style or shopping).

  19. I somehow missed this post (was traveling and offline) but congratulations, what a fantastic achievement! Have just downloaded it!

    • Thanks, FrugalFashionista! I appreciate your support and I hope you like the book. Please let me know what you think!

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