It's a disease that plagues many of us. We fall into this commercialism trap -- a sea of on sale, clearance, and BOGO signs that makes shopping seem so guilt-free. Swiping a little plastic card to receive a cart full of goodies seems so innocent, but it can develop into a severe addiction. Shopping can be a way to cope with your problems, but it can also make your problems much worse, financially speaking. Most things are good in moderation, but hefty shopping trips every other day are definitely a red flag.
Here are some of the telltale signs that will indicate if you are a real shopaholic:
1. Your wallet says no, but your brain says yes.
2. You have a collection of store shopping bags in your closet that you refuse to part with.
Those Abercrombie & Fitch bags are nice!
3. You have another set of keys exclusively for store bonus cards.
4. You specifically look for BOGO signs when buying presents -- one for me and one for you.
5. You have an entire collection -- better yet, a fully-stocked inventory -- of store coupons. 
Advanced shopaholics even have labels and make sections for each store.
6. You have dozens of garments you knew you’d never wear, but you bought them anyway because they looked cute.
They still have the tags on them and everything.
7. You have a separate email account solely for store coupons and advertisements.
8. You proudly pay $99/year for Amazon Prime.
The mailman doesn't even bother to look at the address on the package anymore because he knows which house it goes to.
9. It takes you about three days to spend a gift card after you receive it.
10. You have a favorite cashier at all of your most visited stores.
Remember Alex from Target? He remembers you.
11. You know what day the newest store ad goes out and when the prices change.
12. You shop when you're overly stressed or sad.
Ah, there's nothing better than a little retail therapy. And it's cheaper than actual therapy ... maybe.
So what’s the solution? Shop less, I suppose; if it were only that easy, right? And especially around the holiday season, it's so convenient to just hand the cashier your credit card and think nothing of it. And before you know it, not only will be paying off your student loans, but you'll be paying off credit card debt as well. Everyone knows at least one person, man or woman, who meets all of the above criteria. The important part is that you address the problem and recognize the addiction. Don't let yourself be like Morello from "Orange Is the New Black," a woman whose shopping addiction turned into a crime. Your friends, family, and of course, your wallet will thank you!
