Confessions of a Responsible Shopaholic
My Relationship with Shopping
I became great at calculating percentages by figuring out clothing sales. Shopping has always been a love of mine—I enjoyed browsing stylish stores, admiring the displays, and checking out the latest trends. I also remember tagging along with my mom, watching her pick out whatever she wanted and pay with her card. Her independence was so cool, especially since I had to ask for everything and couldn't buy clothes myself.
One day when I was older, I showed someone a blue sweater I’d just bought, and they called me a "shopaholic." I didn’t know what it meant, so I took it as a compliment. I do love shopping, after all! But later, I realized it wasn’t meant positively, and I felt confused. To me, "shopaholic" just sounded like someone who enjoys shopping—and there’s nothing wrong with that, right? It wasn’t until I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic that I learned it refers to someone who’s excessively into shopping, maybe even compulsively so.
Confessions of a Shopaholic also taught me another valuable lesson I understood the danger of excessive shopping. The main character, Rebecca, loves shopping and, as a kid, sees people using credit cards for lavish purchases. She follows suit and ends up drowning in credit card debt, selling clothes, returning items, and scrambling to find a job. I loved the movie because of the fashion and cheesy plot, but I also learned a crucial lesson: shopping beyond your means leads to debt. Watching Rebecca stress over her finances scared me—especially since I was once that girl, flabbergasted by credit cards and not understanding money. However, I learned how to stay fashionable without debt, and you can too.
Credit Cards
I’ve never gone into debt for fashion, and here’s how: I treat my credit card like a debt. If I don’t feel comfortable swiping, that’s a red flag. Credit card companies charge interest—up to 24% APR—on any balance you don’t pay off each month. To break it down: if your credit card has a 24% APR, divide that by 365 days, and you get about $0.66 per day in interest. So, if you carry a balance for a 27-day billing cycle, you’d pay roughly $17.82 in interest for that month. Over a year, that adds to around $213.84 ($17.82 x 12 months). So if you don’t pay in full, you’re financing way more for the item than you originally intended. It’s not a deal, it’s a trap.
Avoid the Buy Now, Pay Later Companies
Buy Now, Pay Later services like Afterpay market their service as a smarter way to shop, but that’s a lie. Just because you’re paying in installments doesn’t mean you can afford it—if you can’t pay in full upfront, you shouldn’t buy it. They lure you in with offers like “8 payments of $24.99,” making it seem easier and more affordable. But you’re still paying the full price. And if you use a credit card along with these services, you’re doubling your risk. Miss a payment, and you’re hit with interest from both the card and the service—now you’re paying back two companies with double the interest. Avoid these sites like they're the worst fashion trends you’d never get caught wearing.
Keeping Up
Be honest with yourself: no fashion piece is worth going into debt for. You don’t need to keep up with everyone on social media, chase every trend, or compete with people who shop high fashion every day. Being fashionable isn’t always having the latest drop—it’s about rocking what you love and feeling confident in your shoes. People shopping for a new outfit every day might be drowning in credit card debt. Trust me, you can make your closet work without going into debt. If there’s an item you want, start a high-yield savings account and save up for it. Stay smart with your money—it’s not worth sacrificing your financial health for a label.
You Can Be a Responsible Shopaholic
I hate that loving shopping and pretty things is often seen as a negative. The term “shopaholic” gets thrown around, but honestly, there’s nothing wrong with being fond of shopping. I bought one sweater once and got called a shopaholic—don’t let people make you feel bad for enjoying what you love. If you love to shop, that’s awesome, but it’s all about setting boundaries and only buying what you can afford. Financial responsibility isn’t much of a topic in the fashion world, but it should be. It feels trendy to buy Vogue instead of dinner, but trust me, being hungry isn’t cool. You must take care of the basics first and shop within your means.
When I think back to watching my mom swipe her card, I realize that true independence is having the funds to do what you want without stressing over payments. That’s what it means to be a responsible "shopaholic"—having a stylish closet and financial peace of mind.
Happy Shopping!
-Fashion Open
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