April 17, 2014 by Debbie Roes

Change, Without Making a Purchase

The following is a guest post from Lisa at Shopping Brake. Motivated by a challenge from her husband, Lisa is a shopaholic who is tackling her overshopping and overspending habits head on. Her blog is dedicated to providing personal insights during her journey to change her shopping habits.

NOTE: This post marks the beginning of the new “Stories of Recovery” series which will appear periodically on the blog. In this series, other recovering shopaholics will share their stories of how they’ve been able to overcome their shopping and wardrobe challenges in their own unique ways. I look forward to sharing diverse recovery stories that will help inspire and empower my readers.

If you would like to be profiled in this new series (you can be anonymous if desired), or if you have an idea for another type of guest post on “Recovering Shopaholic,” please connect with me to share your thoughts.

In the Beginning…

I don’t know why I am here and I don’t care. I just want to feel beautiful, happy, and loved. So I tear through the racks, a woman on a mission. If I can only find that perfect pair of jeans, and then the perfect top to wear with them, and finally the perfect pair of boots to round out my outfit, I will purchase it all, and then I will be that woman. The woman who is not me at this present moment in time… I will become a new woman, and she is perfect, because she is not me. Continue reading →

April 14, 2014 by Debbie Roes

Creating a Shopping Priorities List – Why and How

In a number of my previous posts, I’ve mentioned the importance of shopping with a list in order to avoid impulse buys and purchasing mistakes. I’ve also referred to my own shopping priorities list on occasion, but other than the partial list I included at the end of this post, I haven’t provided many details. The lively discussion in the comments sections of my “March 2014 Accountability Update” and “Creative Math and Playing by the Rules” posts made me realize I need to write more on the topic of shopping priorities.

Do you have a shopping priorities list? Do you use it?

In today’s post, I outline why I believe shopping priority lists are important and share my own list with you. I also point you towards several other resources to help you plan your future shopping for clothing and related items. Continue reading →

April 10, 2014 by Debbie Roes

The Ins and Outs of Custom-Made Clothing

The following is a guest post from Maharani, a regular reader of this blog, who is sharing her experience with having her clothing custom made. Awhile back, Maharani had suggested this option for me in response to my pants shopping difficulties. Since I was intrigued by the custom clothing possibility but knew so little about it, I figured others would also be interested in learning more. So I asked Maharani to share her experiences in a guest post, and the rest is history! Read on to learn lots of useful information about custom-made clothing and how it might be an option to consider for your wardrobe.

Have you ever had your clothing custom made?

Continue reading →

April 7, 2014 by Debbie Roes

On Creative Math and Playing By the Rules

I’ve often shared that I learn a lot from my readers, and last week was definitely no exception. I received quite a few comments on my “March 2014 Accountability Update.” Many of these comments were, in essence, calling me on the carpet for my “creative math” related to my item limit accounting. I’m glad that some of my readers didn’t let me get away with changing the rules mid-stream and that they pushed me to take an honest look at my behavior and my justifications thereof.

I was guilty of doing some “creative accounting” with my item limit.

Not only did many readers point out my creative math, they also offered helpful suggestions for how I might approach my shopping rules moving forward. In today’s post, I share some of the recommendations I was given, as well as the conclusions and decisions I’ve reached following deep introspection over the weekend. Continue reading →

April 3, 2014 by Debbie Roes

March 2014 Accountability Update

It’s now April and Spring has sprung (at least for those of us in the northern hemisphere…), so it’s time for my March accountability update. If you’re new to “Recovering Shopaholic,” here’s the deal… I’ve committed to posting monthly accountability updates as a way of keeping myself honest and on track with my wardrobe and shopping goals. These posts include what came into and left my closet during a given month and how I did with my shopping budget and rules.

Shopping Accountability Updates