Shopping is the best stress relief! Sounds familiar to you? Welcome to the board! Lot’s of people can say these words, lot’s, but I guess Donald Trump is not one of them;) Successful people prefer to invest money – but not to spend them without purpose . But why it happens to the rest? Our money is an equivalent of our energy. And when we feel stressed or lonely - we become real selfish asses and we want to get the energy! A lot of energy! If there is no anyone who we can use as an energy donor – we start spending our own energy – our money! And, of course, we go shopping!

Today I faced my emotional shopping addiction after analyzing my recent purchases. You know, the funniest thing when you spend your money emotionally is that you need to get the instant satisfaction! Of course you may buy some crap for the future - but, believe me - you will never use it. And it will make you feel bad. Because you won’t get the satisfaction! And that’s the main secret of the emotional shopping.

You should remember, that economy is a good thing - and for your budget and for the Mother Earth resources! So, to save my own budget and the global resources, I’ve decided to change my shopping habit. Here are my 10 tips that you should remember before your shopping:

1. Ask yourself the question: Do I really need it? Why do I need it?
Why do you buy this thing? Do you need some crap like this in your life? And how it can be useful? Spend few minutes thinking about it? And put it back. Usually we buy useless things emotionally and then threw them away, or keep in our houses and barns… Are you sure you need all this crap? Maybe it’s better to answer these easy questions at first

2. Plan your purchases ahead.
Write down the things you want to buy - and then read your list in a few days. Cross something you don’t need. And then read it in a few days. Don’t buy the things not in list. You will be surprised how it can lessen your costs.

3. Make a revision in your house
I‘ve stumbled upon this post 10 Unexpected Costs of Owning Things. I think it’s a must read thing that will definitely help you to spend less. When you see how much crap there is already in your house, you may decrease your wish to purchase more.

4. Don’t Shop Hungry! And Gloomy
When you are hungry - you want to buy all the food in the store, the same is when you are stressed – you want to buy everything to feel better. Stop it! Don’t go shopping in a gloomy mood. It’s a bad tone! You will buy some useless crap, spend a lot of money, and still stay gloomy cause you won’t get satisfaction.

5. Collect the Bills
Sometimes you can be really amazed how much money you spend on useless things. Collect your cheques and face it. It maybe a good motivation to stop.

6. Set the Limit

If you can’t hold yourself to spend the money in a store - take the limited amount of money! Set the limit on your credit card. If you have less – you will spend less.

7. Play an Accountant Game
Write down the monthly budget. Write what are the profits, what are the costs. Make a report for a year - how much do you spend and where - maybe it’s better to invest these spare 200 $ - cause if you safe and invest 200$ monthly - that is a 2400$ a year, and plus the % profits. Sounds not bad!

8. Start Your Own Business!
You will have a thing to invest your money and something that will bring you a great satisfaction. Learn to invest your money into something worthy! If you will have spare 10.000$ - what will you do? Of course the investment! Then why do you spend your spare 10$? Learn to create and to invest! And also, you will have no time to spend - because your creation will need your attention! The only negative moment here is that you will have the extra money soon - so the chances of spending recurrence may increase ;)

9. Find another Stress Relief
You understand that shopping is not the best way toget rid of stress, but you don’t know how to do it in other way? Start practicing yoga, meditation, sex or just relaxation and doing nothing! There are lots of things that work better than money spending.

10. Give it away!
The best way to relief your stress or loneliness is a random act of kindness, act of sharing and giving! If you have spare money – give them to the charity, of buy a gift to your friends, people you love and care, just give them with your love to someone who really needs it! Believe me, it will make you feel much better!