How to Deal with an Online Shopping Addiction

Aug 3, 2010
Evelyn Trimborn

: Online Shopping Can Become an Addiction - c E Trimborn

Online shopping can be very convenient, but not without its risks for the shopping addict.

The Internet makes shopping easier than ever before, offering an array of products from all over the world that people can buy with just a few clicks of their mouse and keyboard. Online shopping was slow to take off when it was first introduced, but the ease and convenience won over many people quickly. Unfortunately, the very ease of online shopping has led to men and women suffering from online shopping addiction.

For some people it is the thrill of shopping, and online shopping is an even faster way to satisfy their craving to shop. For others, it is a way to feel good about themselves or reward themselves. "I work so hard, I deserve a little treat," they think. The consequences of the spending spree might not catch up with them for weeks or months, until they can't pay their credit card bill and finally discover just how much they have been spending.

Online shopping is relatively easy to disguise as well. Many online shopping addicts report that the packages would come and they would not even open them, but just shove them in a closet somewhere to hide everything they were buying. Still others constantly justified their online shopping addiction by lying about how much they had paid for items, insisting that they were great bargains.

Both of these types of behaviors, hiding and lying online shopping and spending, are usually big red flags that signal some sort of addictive behavior. So what can people do if they think that they have an online shopping addiction?

How to Deal with an Online Shopping Addiction

Review the budget to see how much money is coming in and going out each month for the essentials.
Review the last three months of the most recent credit card statements. Can shoppers recall what they bought and if it was an essential item, or just a whim?
Freeze the credit. Cut up all credit card except one, the one with the lowest interest rate and balance. Keep it on ice, in a container of water in the freezer, in case of emergencies. If there is anything that seems like an emergency, it will still take a day for the ice to melt and so give a day's grace until it is used, which could be enough time to re-think that impulse buy.
Ask family and friends to check up and support the attempt to curb the online spending. This may mean doing other activities together far away from shops and the internet.
Avoid internet shopping sites.
Start saving. Set up an online savings account and set up an automatic deposit to make sure money is saved every month.
Pay down debt. Savings accounts do not have a very high interest yield, so make sure that all credit cards, which charge much higher interest rates, are paid off as soon as possible before undertaking a serious savings program.
Set long-term financial goals such as retirement, college for the kids, and so on. That should help rein in spending on frivolous items.
Own up to the online shopping addiction. Get all the purchased items out of the closet or wherever they have been hidden. If it is possible to return any of them, do so and get the money back. If not, take a long hard look at what each item is and whether or not it is really needed. If not, think about selling it on eBay or craigslist, gifting it to another person who could use it, or donating unwanted items to charity stores like the Salvation Army. Be sure to get a receipt from the charity in order to be able to claim the value of the items back on taxes. Estimate the value paid for it if the item is new, replacement value if it is used.
Seek professional help. If a person tries to cut down on their online shopping and is still struggling, there are now counselors who can help with online shopping addictions.

Online shopping addiction is more common than many people realize. If a person thinks they have become addicted to online shopping, trying the methods suggested above can help set them on the road to recovery so they can try to get their life and finances back under control.