Emotional Rescue

"You're just a poor girl in a rich man's house"

Why do we spend money on things we really don't need? Are we just continually trying to fill that mysterious void inside? Keeping up with "The Kardashians" or "The Real Housewives"?  I can't answer this question for all of you, but I know from my own experience that a lot of money has been wasted on what I call "retail therapy" or "emotional over-spending".  It's time to take an honest look at where your hard earned dollars are going and why.  Are you buying a new shade of lip stain because you're stressed out?  Could you be heading to Nordstrom after work because you had a bad day?  When you get home with your shopping bags full of stuff and the momentary rush has worn off...what are you left with? Less money and more stuff you could have done without.  If you're already in debt, this will continue the spiral down further into debt where you'll just be beating yourself up more about the spending and suddenly find yourself spending more to make yourself feel better and then berating yourself for making matters worse and the next thing you know it's four a.m. and you're filling up your online shopping cart on Zappos because surely new shoes will finally make you truly happy! You just stopped reading this blog and went to shop on Zappos didn't you...

For those of you who are still here (and i'm assuming its for the free snacks), I'd like to encourage you to take some time today to ponder the emotional spending in your life.  Is there something you could begin to replace this with that is free AND fulfilling? Maybe you could set up a weekly date with a close friend for a "Venting Walk" where you are both free to just unload your feelings without having to come up with any solutions just listening and letting it go.  What about volunteering at a local charity?  Whatever it takes, and we are all different, do something for yourself that will actually help you de-stress without just causing the stress that unneccesary spending will do in the end.  

If all else fails, I highly recommend blasting some Rolling Stones and dancing around your room for a few minutes.  Just do it.  I dare you.  (my go to Stones tune for a bad day is 19th Nervous Breakdown).

Okay now let's snack and play!  Thanks for coming and don't forget that dancing is free and free is cheap.