February 2016 – Page 2 – Recovering Shopaholic

The following is a guest post from Susan B., who is sharing her journey as part of my “Stories of Recovery” series. Susan is a financial sobriety evangelist. Her website, Getting Out from Going Under, provides guidance for people who are recovering from compulsive spending, shopping, and debting. Her recent book, “Getting Out from Going Under: Daily Reader for Compulsive Debtors and Spenders,” is filled with practical tips, inspiration, and a thought for each day to encourage and motivate you to stay on the path of recovery.

If you would like to be profiled in the “Stories of Recovery” series (you can be anonymous if desired), please connect with me to share your thoughts.

Is bill paying a time of extreme stress for you?

My name is Susan B. and I’m a recovering shopaholic. More precisely, I’m recovering from an addiction to spending and buying that nearly killed me. I’m also a member of Debtors Anonymous (DA), a 12 step program (like Alcoholics Anonymous) for people who are out of control with money, with or without debt. And I haven’t had a shopping binge since April 25, 2009.

Continue reading →

In my last post, I began debriefing my “Love it, Wear It” Challenge (LIWI), which I took on throughout all of last year. Part one covered my clothes and today’s post will look at my shoes and accessories in terms of how the challenge impacted those categories of my wardrobe, as well as my style. I will also share an inventory of my shoes and accessories.

A Reminder of What LIWI Is…

But before I dive into part two of this debrief, here’s a quick reminder of what LIWI is about (read more here). The objectives for the “Love It, Wear It” challenge are to wear what we love and to have the right types of clothing, shoes, and accessories for our lives… the lives that we are actually living in the here and now – not imagined, wished for, or previous lifestyles.

The objective of LIWI is to create a “working closet” by moving all worn items into a specific area of your closet space (or jewelry box). As much as possible (uniforms and dress codes aside…), you should only wear what you really want to wear. Anything that is uncomfortable, fussy, or no longer in line with your personal style should be passed on for donation or consignment.

Continue reading →