On number 5, one helpful tip I got from watching Apartment Therapy was to "merchandise your space". When you curate what you have, place it around your home or wardrobe in a way a store would. It makes your space feel more beautiful as you appreciate what you have
Beware of taking up a hobby and buying a lot of materials before you know if you really like it. For example with crafts, go to a workshop where most materials are provided to try it out before you invest.
I stopped watching makeup influencers. My makeup collection got out of control and I have way too much. My friends would come over and be like, “wow, it’s like store in here” but as time went on, I hated how I barely touched some things after spending a ton of money on them. I would have never bought these items on my own but because I was watching influencers on UA-cam, I did. Felt so nice to stop watching them.
I was in psychodynamic therapy for over 6 years. It didn’t help with shopping even though I mentioned it few times but we never really worked trough it. I didn’t know that I have ADHD, only when my son got diagnosed and after him - me, I realised I was searching for dopamine . It’s very powerful , dopamine increases most when you place an order and actually wait for the parcel. Its the excitement of waiting that was doing it for me , like for Christmas present . I don’t know what is your root cause but FIND ANOTHER DOPAMINE SOURCE , like running or other sport , I promise you it will be much longer and lasting effect. The worst is to binge back again after a month or two . Even if you don’t have ADHD , your brain got used to higher doses of that neurotransmitter . It’s the reward system that you need to focus on. I tried everything before the diagnosis and even decluttering didn’t help because I sooner or later found myself buying back clothes. The moment I understood what my brain is craving It got easier long term . And when I order things because I had a low day or few , I send them back sometimes without even opening the parcel . ❤
I totally can relayed same ADHD in desperate need of domapine... niw try to choose better sources but still difficult i think it is never gonna be easier but everyday i am more wise 😊
Hit take, I’d encourage you to stop The Scroll altogether. I think (lovingly!) you’re replacing one version of wanting with another-and neither will lead to lasting fulfillment. Filling that time with reading books, doing a puzzle, calling a friend, organizing your space, working out, or just watching a movie with intention-will benefit your life to a higher degree.
The tip to wait a set amount of time until giving into the temptation to buy is so helpful. Countdowns, timers, and fake scarcity tactics are everywhere these days and we all need to realize that's because the people trying to sell us things know that if we wait we will probably end up thinking better of it. So we need to see those tactics for what they are, it's really empowering to resist these manipulative tactics.
Agree on everything! Nothing made me realize the excessive amount of stuff I have like moving house and then country this year! The guilt/shame was real 😅 Every time I’m browsing now I think of those endless bags of things stored back home, I literally need nothing new, my purchases are way more considered now.
I turn to my family and cherish the memories that I have with them. None of your points focus on turning to your most precious asset in this world… those that love and respect you.
Something that has helped me decrease my shopping is to Unsubscribe from the emails and texts from retailers I like to shop with. Less temptation for sure! Im not a big journaling type, but Im going to try it out. Thanks for sharing:)
It drives me up the wall that each time I buy from a new company I am instantly spammed. Even when I unsubscribe somehow they still keep sending!!! I delete them without ever opening out of spite
One way I was able to stop my shopping addiction for a very expensive item was draw the outfit instead! I do a lot of digital art and I also do fashion sketches so when I drew the outfit on my character, it actually made me want the item less.
I’m in My forties. I stopped caring about trends a long time ago. Lol my goal now is financial independence so everytime I want to buy, I put that money in a high yield savings or IRA to earn money
getting your finance in check is the most important step, seeing your bank account or investment go up everyday is the most rewarding part of the financial freedom trick. now when I want to buy coffee or lunch at work, I think about how much we hate sunday night counting the hours before work. that's time you give up everytime you buy something you don't really need .
Try to return those purchases!No more social content!!! Its not really social anymore. it's just stores trying to advertise to you. I look at cleaning videos. They are great and give you really good ideas and your learning to do something besides shop! If your watching a cleaning video your really into it and decluttering videos as well. When you see something you want to buy, go and look at all the same things like it you have. Where will it go in your closet? I don't want my apt to look like a hoarders house. Just watch one of those videos and your "wants" will stop cold turkey. 😬
You are so right: eliminating temptation is the most obvious place to start and yet I find even this so difficult. I get severe fomo thinking that I won't be up to speed on the new trends and fresh looks; and I convince myself that Im there for the styling tips (which I am) but inevitably I see a pair of leather trousers or the most gorgeous coat of life and I find myself adding to cart again. I think cold turkey is the only way to go; at least for a while.
Not struggling with money and not being ih debth makes me happy!🎉 more than enough for me!😊 And yes, I also plan a weekly budget and check all my accounts daily.😊 It keeps things real.
Would love you to do a video about decluttering your wardrobe, things you’ve gotten rid of and why. I just downloaded your journal, love the new direction with your channel :)
You are 100% spot on! The memories are something you have forever! Looking back at your favorite photos bring those memories back immediately! I have donated thousands in clothing that I thought was so important. In my 60s now, and still getting rid of excess! It means nothing!
Years of shopping that I thought were going to make me Happy all it did was push buying a home, saving, retirement etc further away. It's something in your 20's maybe even 30's you don't even think about. I started to say when I "wanted" something, "If I buy this the person that is really..going to need it wont be able to buy it, if i do". That actually works for me. If you love taking photos and want to age yourself later wear trends. If you want to look back and say wow I looked amazing wear classic cuts / styles.
Shopping addiction has definitely hit an all time high ! For me it escalated when I started my own channel I have stepped back quite a bit but I could do better ,I enjoy travel so I desire that more than things ,I am always on the travel sites and checking prices for my next trip ! This helps me stop spending and I get such a high from doing that
I love these tips. What's worked for me is replacing the habit of scrolling through fashion sites and watching fashion content on UA-cam is replacing that with something else I enjoy which is healthy cooking. Now, I scroll through recipe sites and watch meal prep videos. Thanks for sharing!
Caitlin, not many people could afford a shopping addiction with luxury handbags at the prices they are now. I wish influencers would get together and decide to show women, beautiful handbags, that or not these exorbitant prices. There are many independent leather designers that produce beautiful handbags that not everyone is carrying.
Thank you for your openness. I have been struggling with buying things I don’t need and have found myself suffering the financial consequences. I impulse buy all the time. I’ve not shared this with anybody close to me because I’m embarrassed. Finally had a wake up call that it needs to stop. I like the journal you shared and intend to use it. I’ve already set up a budget for myself and decided that I will try to cost cut on my budget and at the end of the month I will make the decision to purchase 1 item I really desire or put the extra money towards my debt. I am trying to implement the process of giving myself 30 days to decide if I really need an item or not. I may keep a log in the journal so I can go back and see if the items I find myself wanting to purchase already exist in my wardrobe. Trying to replace the mindless scrolling a walk outdoors or cleaning the house (I can always find something that needs tidying!)
4:30 lol I’m trying to cut back on travel. Living in Europe with constant cheap flights, I was travelling sometimes to fill a void. I did feel inspired by channels like you’re to feel more mindful & enjoying it much better. Like it’s embarrassing how many times I’ve booked flights either drunk or out of insomnia / boredom. I get it from my mother, once we went to South Africa because she seen it on a travel program at 8pm & we had flights and hotel booked for the following month by midnight
I think our society demonizes shopping (stuff) so they can promote travel in a good light. I always view travel in the same vein as material things that we buy from the store, because both of them are driven by capitalism; the only difference is that it's intangible so we think it's harmless, unlike when you buy stuff-stuff. Imo, some people are addicted to the "adrenaline rush" of travel because it gives them that chance to escape from their reality. It's the same when you buy bags. My point is, both are forms of escapism. At the end of the day, everything is good, but in moderation. And everything is bad if done too much. Regardless if it's tangible or not.
I just love watching people shop their own closets, or take style icons off Pinterest, etc and recreate those outfits. The whole point is to make it work with what you own now. So much fun, inspo and ideas I didn’t expect to see emerge. It has helped me a lot.
I admit. I hate change. It was a little hard for me seeing you branch out from luxury and shopping; both things I highly enjoy. I wasn’t sure this new direction would be something I’d be into. No tea, no shade, no dig, just my own thoughts. That said, I believe everyone can grow and improve and find new or better self serving interests. If it’s not too personal, can you do a video on other creators you now watch? I’d be curious to check them out ❤️
Hi Caitlin, I think I used always like to shop but then I lost my job a few months ago, it been so tough to find another job. Now since my loss of income I had to stop shopping 🛍️ 😢. I guess if I would have saved money instead of shopping, I would be able to travel now. Thanks for this video.
Had that same feeling. Because of the pandemic I keep on shopping and when I found out all the cost of the stuff I bought I completely cringe and told myself I could have used that money to travel to far flung places. But at the end of the day, the damage has been done. I don't want to linger on to that mistake. The best we can do is to move forward and learn from it. Let's not punish ourselves.
I'm right there with you. Lost my job four weeks ago. I'm trying to stay motivated. I've set four bags off to be consigned. I'm so nervous, but just know that other people are out here struggling too. You'll be in my thoughts.
Hi. I have decluttered so much over the past few years and downsized. Recently I lost my job and have been shopping to fill a void. Obviously it compounds my financial worries. I can't stop as it's an emotional coping mechanism. I did a no buy year in 2022. The tips here are great. Thanks
I absolutely love your new content. I subbed to your channel when you were still shopping because I found you so opposite of me and it was like this strange curiosity to see someone shop and buy all of these expensive things. I’m a minimalist and do a lot of what you are talking about here at this point in my life, naturally in order to keep my life, home and wardrobe simple. It is so refreshing seeing your new take on the old habits and how you are finding what is really important to you ❤
This video is fantastic! I agree with you completely that watching content that encourages us to spend must come to an end. This is actually my second weekend whereby I stopped going clothing shopping/shopping in general, and it's been great! I feel like I have so much more time to enjoy other things in life rather than just the mall and back.
It’s just so true! Some of the tips I’m already practicing, like “step back” or return the thing to the shop after considering at home, but I have still a long way ahead of me to stop buying just for pleasure. You know, this is actually the easiest way to cheer yourself up, just go and try something on, and then buy, instead of find another hobby which would be more time-consuming and would take a lot of effort at least at the beginning. It’s hard to switch even when you understand the problem. So thank you for the tips, I’ve subscribed 😊
have you seen the videos of designer brands burning their excess stock? started with burberry revealing it and other fashion brands do it too to ensure scarcity. this whole revelation has left me actually totally looking at designer things with distain. things are different in this day and age with sustainability etc the whole thing is tone deaf.
Another tip is to stick to what works for you. I used to love buying cheap designer dupes on Ebay but ended up finding that they didn’t work for my habit of lugging half my possession around 😂 So in the past few years Ive just been using Kanken backpacks, and i only buy new Kanken to replace a worn-out one. Same with makeup, I just buy what has been working for me, and just replace ones that have run out. Luckily I never use tiktok but instagram was my downfall for home décors. So make sure tou curate your social media to not make them present you with ads that would tempt you. Aim to follow positive, fulfilling content. I still haven’t got there at all, but I’m working on it.
Hi Caitlin, I love these kinds of videos beacuse of the sheer honesty that you give us. Just a couple points from me, the thing that helped me the most was setting myself a big savings goal to hit at th end of the year. I'm thankfully on track to reach it :) also I love trends! The way I see it is all trends exist but not all have their time to shine. I know which trends I love but its just a matter of time when my faves have their moment. I do like to experiment a bit but for the most part stick to colour/fabrics and specific details that I require before buying something. Remind yourself of your standards and you wont be so swept up by everything.
key is quality over quantity - still wear Burberry trench + Loro Piano cashmere coat from 20+ years ago, from young adult always was about quality but putting that aside and more important, experiences last a lifetime, things not so much - comment not exactly directed at shopping addiction but close enough, lol - better to have had shopping addiction than drug addiction so look on bright side!
First video, new subscriber ❤ Good tips! I’ve been reading a lot about how monks live, and the whole thing with meditation etc. That’s really been helpful. The monks are like: your thoughts are not true (I want this), other peoples opinions don’t matter (buy to impress), they live with nothing, they don’t depend on other, they create peace just by being themselves. I just find that whole mindset really inspiring and have helped me with my shopping addiction. I have enough and I’m capable of owning my own will, even though everything in me needs this purchase, I know it’s just temporary. I’ve never followed trends, because I feel everything just looks stupid on me 😅 but one time I saw an article that said omg, no, skinny jeans are trendy again - and that just made it for me. People hate these trends, but they still buy it just because it’s trendy? That’s so weird 😅 I also use skinny jeans myself and could care less that people hate them 😂 this industry is just fascinating… So, going to check out other videos of yours now, I like you 😅
Hi Caitlin! I love how much you have grown since I started watching your channel awhile back. I, myself have had these shopping habits before until a few years ago where I put my finances before any materialistic thing aswell as travel. I sometimes feel like I am still giving in for some clothing items but it’s much less compared to before. I usually wait too to buy items I see or if it’s a type of store that only has the item there once I usually buy it and then let it sit for a few days/week then I reevaluate! I love your videos and keep speaking your truth and being you! You really shine bright! Thanks so much 💕
I'd be interested to see a video on the things you bought that were actually worth buying for you. Like, what are the purchases that made you happy then, and still make you happy now? I see you have a gorgeous collection of jewellery, so whilst it wouldn't be to tell people "buy this, it's worth it" - a nice collection of items that bring you joy is something I would watch. Sending love from London, UK x
A great tip that has helped me a lot : I restricted myself only to buy second hand last 10 years, and now im going to remove all the app so i cant buy anything anymore, i have way too much and can spend my time much better 😮🎉❤
Great listening sounds like you are doing great decluttering i find less clothes make dressing simple and even with less clothes i still find clothes to declutter at times
Watching your channel has been a God send I leave for vacation on Saturday in 2 days and, I didn't buy anything new. Never have I ever been able to go a vacation without buying some type of new clothes or shoes so crazy. I actually stop watching all the UA-camrs that's only goal is to sell stuff their audience. It's ben difficult but amazing for me. Thanks Caitlin
Thank you so much. I just realized my shopping addiction is what is overcoming my whole life and the reason why my money ends up gone. These tips are so helpful! :))
I’ve seen some of your videos but this one made me hit the subscribe button. Thank you! I’m regular girl, I was quite poor during my university time-second hand shop was to pricy for me sometimes, I saved money from the tickets to buy some cheap food etc. Of course it is much better now…but I found myself wanting to buy so many things, watching YT videos about luxury items, fashion etc. I believe it’s just because I couldn’t afford it before. It makes me feel very guilty when I do,it as well because my beloved, wonderful husband is rather to save the money to invest or to think about our future. I don’t own luxury products except Cartier balloon blue watch that’s my husband bought for me for our anniversary (it was pre loved, but it makes me to love it even more). This video was what I needed! I’m Polish girl, living in China. Sending you lots of hugs!
One thing that helped me was to really go thru my closet and find a great item ,,,clean them and display them, as a reminder that you probably have something already that’s great!
Thanks for sharing this topic. My interest in handbag got out of touch, it was a coping mechanism. Also the war in Ukraine got me depressed and sad, I'm frightened of total nuclear global war. Handbags have been a nice distraction. My declutter process have taken 5 years.. ...my tip is try enjoy the process and take it at the time you are comfortable with. In this that way the clutter is not just exchange with other stuff. This quote from the minimalist podcast hitted home with me " luxury stuff could become just expensive clutter".
I love your advice on letting your cart sit for 24-48 hours. I just started doing that with Amazon, and it's saved so much money. It's amazing gow many online purchases have more to do with the emotion you feel in that moment.
Yeash, thank you for this. I’m looking at my house and I have a lot of stuff as a hoarder. I have some stuff I don’t need some or have room for. Some of this stuff is unopened or unused. Time to let it go, sell it, give it away, or throw it away. Thank you for this video.
I am a new subscriber and have been bingeing on your videos for a couple of days, they are really inspiring and helpful to me. I have similar issues and interests as you and would like to thank you for sharing your experiences and advice. Looking forward to new videos!
❤️ loved this video! So enjoying taking this journey with you Caitlin! Loving pairing down and keeping only what I LOOVE! ❤ life feels so much easier with so much less clutter! 🎉🥰
FABULOUS VIDEO! Omgosh seriously just the best tips and advice and although some of these things obvious, I can’t tell you how well you related to your points but also in the way you described turning the corner on them! THANK YOU! Love to hear more about any of these points! Appreciate your candor, honesty and humor!
Totally agree about number 11, I commented on your last video that I have a shopping addiction. I’m trying to find joy in other things and it’s a process to train your brain xx
Such a great video! I’ve been on a journey to change my relationship with things for a few years now, and you’re right on all these points - especially the one that one day it will just click and you won’t care as much about the trends, I’ve found that to be true and also one day it will start to click that investing the money instead of spending it is the only way to keep enough of what you earn to keep up with inflation!
Love the longer hair on you. Good video. I watch animal documentaries, cooking channels, and alux on how too build wealth along with house hunters and decorating apartments 😊
I just sold an mcm bag while at work today, to a woman who was recently burglarized. I guess she has money because, she was showing me on her phone, all the bags and jewelry they stole out of her house and even the porch camera photos of the burglars!! They got her while she was on vacation. Sometimes just having what you need and a few extra nice things makes it a lot less stressful than losing a bunch of expensive things in storage to burglars or a fire.
I 110% agree with everything you’ve said in this video. It’s really sad how much money we use on things that doesn’t matter instead on using our money on what matters and can create a truly happy life for ourselves. I sometimes need to buy things just to see it for myself. In my hands, on my body - and then I’ll return it. It satisfies me I’ve discovered. Then the amazingness about the item sort of disappears and the item just becomes like all the other items I have.
great tip about early morning and late night scrolling. I have got into that habit lately and need to stop. I love hand bags and travel. I love some trends and I always ask myself the question of how long will they last. Timeless classics are the best.
I’ve signed up for the 14D journal. 🙌🏼🙏🏼♥️🥰 Thank you! I love the idea about your dream team of 3 people! That’s awesome!!! Priceless! 🎉🎉🎉 This is another great video Caitlin. I found it helpful and I’m sure a lot of people would too ♥️🙏🏼😍
I work at a thrift store and get get extremely good discounts as employees and we also are allowed to have totes where we save stuff we wanna buy and we used to not really have a limit on time before buying the items so we could save things for a while and then have that time to think about what we really want to buy but now they have changed the rules at least 5 months ago to where we can only have the stuff in our tote until next paycheck .. and technically yes we could find it in the store and still buy it after but since it’s a thrift store and it’s typically only one of each item since it’s not a regular store with 50 of the same top in stock we know it’ll either be hard to find again or it will get bought by someone and so it unfortunately has contributed to my habits because now I feel like I have to buy something that I think is cute within a small timeframe so I pressure myself because I feel like I’ll regret it if I don’t but then so many times I have ended up buying things that aren’t even that cute and to make matters worse my co-workers all know my style and will either show me things or go ahead and add them to my tote so that I will end up seeing them 😅 then some days we have $5 bag sales and I can literally fit lotssss of shirts in a small Walmart bag - I got really good at the rolling them up method and at some point adding more than a few items feel like the extras are just “free” at that point because of the deal I’m getting so if there’s more room in the bag I tell myself it’s a waste to not take more advantage and I don’t feel I have to justify things as much and will shove shirts in there that I may not be fully in love with but I saw something cute about them thinking “it’s not like I’m getting charged any more for this” and I need to stop. My husband gets frustrated with the amount of clothes I am brining in and on top of that I have been in this weird slump for a while where I have clothes that I love and even have visions in how I want to style them but then I wear the ugliest stuff I own due to a) comfort and honestly laziness and b) I for some reason feel like I have to have a special occasion or will be taking pictures in order to dress cute even though I want to be one of those people who dresses their best daily
I love this content, mainly because you’re probably the only creator on here I know that has gone from fully indulging in shopping luxury to talking about being more mindful with money. The other creators are good too, but many just came from a different place that I couldn’t identify with - they were mostly people who had been pretty careful with their purchases anyway, or didn’t particularly care to indulge much in luxury shopping. So to see you come out the other side in some sense it’s been really helpful to hear what works for you. Thanks a lot for sharing!!!! By the way, do you ever feel difficulty parting with items that you sell? To be honest I do - especially when they are still unworn or unused, or when they cost a certain price but now can only fetch a fraction of what I paid. How do you deal with that/reframe those thoughts?
Thankyou so much! Honestly I had to become at peace with it and accept that this was the consequence and try to look on the positive that I’m AT LEAST getting some money back you know? Xx
When I want to buy something I think “will I be able to wear this in 10 years” “what if my style changes and I look weird wearing this when I get old” and then I take too long to buy something because I’m so indecisive 😂
Great video as always. I am still fighting with the need to have that dopamine rush when package is arriving, but I also came to the point that I return 99% of things that I order. That is also why I order everything online, almost all stores have free returns, and I wait for few days to see if I still want/need the item or it was just my addiction ordering it. Also If I decide to keep something I ask my boyfriend for opinion and he can be brutal sometimes :D. But yeah, shopping addiction is not any different from any other addiction, what annoys me is that it is normalized, especially for women. It is really rare that people are talking about it. It is very easy to start it, but it takes a lot of time, will and energy to fight against it. Thank you for your videos, they help a lot.
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On number 5, one helpful tip I got from watching Apartment Therapy was to "merchandise your space". When you curate what you have, place it around your home or wardrobe in a way a store would. It makes your space feel more beautiful as you appreciate what you have
Beware of taking up a hobby and buying a lot of materials before you know if you really like it. For example with crafts, go to a workshop where most materials are provided to try it out before you invest.
I stopped watching makeup influencers. My makeup collection got out of control and I have way too much. My friends would come over and be like, “wow, it’s like store in here” but as time went on, I hated how I barely touched some things after spending a ton of money on them. I would have never bought these items on my own but because I was watching influencers on UA-cam, I did. Felt so nice to stop watching them.
I was in psychodynamic therapy for over 6 years. It didn’t help with shopping even though I mentioned it few times but we never really worked trough it. I didn’t know that I have ADHD, only when my son got diagnosed and after him - me, I realised I was searching for dopamine . It’s very powerful , dopamine increases most when you place an order and actually wait for the parcel. Its the excitement of waiting that was doing it for me , like for Christmas present .
I don’t know what is your root cause but FIND ANOTHER DOPAMINE SOURCE , like running or other sport , I promise you it will be much longer and lasting effect. The worst is to binge back again after a month or two . Even if you don’t have ADHD , your brain got used to higher doses of that neurotransmitter . It’s the reward system that you need to focus on.
I tried everything before the diagnosis and even decluttering didn’t help because I sooner or later found myself buying back clothes. The moment I understood what my brain is craving It got easier long term . And when I order things because I had a low day or few , I send them back sometimes without even opening the parcel . ❤
Yes indeed
I totally can relayed same ADHD in desperate need of domapine... niw try to choose better sources but still difficult i think it is never gonna be easier but everyday i am more wise 😊
Hit take, I’d encourage you to stop The Scroll altogether. I think (lovingly!) you’re replacing one version of wanting with another-and neither will lead to lasting fulfillment. Filling that time with reading books, doing a puzzle, calling a friend, organizing your space, working out, or just watching a movie with intention-will benefit your life to a higher degree.
The tip to wait a set amount of time until giving into the temptation to buy is so helpful. Countdowns, timers, and fake scarcity tactics are everywhere these days and we all need to realize that's because the people trying to sell us things know that if we wait we will probably end up thinking better of it. So we need to see those tactics for what they are, it's really empowering to resist these manipulative tactics.
Agree on everything! Nothing made me realize the excessive amount of stuff I have like moving house and then country this year! The guilt/shame was real 😅 Every time I’m browsing now I think of those endless bags of things stored back home, I literally need nothing new, my purchases are way more considered now.
So true! Xx
Same for me
I turn to my family and cherish the memories that I have with them. None of your points focus on turning to your most precious asset in this world… those that love and respect you.
Something that has helped me decrease my shopping is to Unsubscribe from the emails and texts from retailers I like to shop with. Less temptation for sure! Im not a big journaling type, but Im going to try it out. Thanks for sharing:)
It drives me up the wall that each time I buy from a new company I am instantly spammed. Even when I unsubscribe somehow they still keep sending!!! I delete them without ever opening out of spite
One way I was able to stop my shopping addiction for a very expensive item was draw the outfit instead! I do a lot of digital art and I also do fashion sketches so when I drew the outfit on my character, it actually made me want the item less.
That sounds so cool! Xx
What a great idea!
I wish I could draw 😞
Yes
There’s actual science showing that a little decluttering or tidying makes people happier (in the book The Happiness Project).
Switching a bad habit for a fun healthy habit is powerful ❤
I started telling myself, “who’s going to care that I have a new ______?” No one.
I’m in My forties. I stopped caring about trends a long time ago. Lol my goal now is financial independence so everytime I want to buy, I put that money in a high yield savings or IRA to earn money
That’s so good to hear! 😘
@@CaitlinPawlowski very glad you are healing and moving on. ❤️👍
getting your finance in check is the most important step, seeing your bank account or investment go up everyday is the most rewarding part of the financial freedom trick. now when I want to buy coffee or lunch at work, I think about how much we hate sunday night counting the hours before work. that's time you give up everytime you buy something you don't really need .
Try to return those purchases!No more social content!!! Its not really social anymore. it's just stores trying to advertise to you. I look at cleaning videos. They are great and give you really good ideas and your learning to do something besides shop! If your watching a cleaning video your really into it and decluttering videos as well. When you see something you want to buy, go and look at all the same things like it you have. Where will it go in your closet? I don't want my apt to look like a hoarders house. Just watch one of those videos and your "wants" will stop cold turkey. 😬
You are so right: eliminating temptation is the most obvious place to start and yet I find even this so difficult. I get severe fomo thinking that I won't be up to speed on the new trends and fresh looks; and I convince myself that Im there for the styling tips (which I am) but inevitably I see a pair of leather trousers or the most gorgeous coat of life and I find myself adding to cart again. I think cold turkey is the only way to go; at least for a while.
Watch cleaning and hoarding videos. You will be so grossed out you will stop immediately.
Not struggling with money and not being ih debth makes me happy!🎉 more than enough for me!😊 And yes, I also plan a weekly budget and check all my accounts daily.😊 It keeps things real.
Would love you to do a video about decluttering your wardrobe, things you’ve gotten rid of and why. I just downloaded your journal, love the new direction with your channel :)
I’m so happy you downloaded it! I hope you find it as beneficial as I did 😊
Maybe I will do a video like that
Thanks for watching ❤️
You are 100% spot on! The memories are something you have forever! Looking back at your favorite photos bring those memories back immediately! I have donated thousands in clothing that I thought was so important. In my 60s now, and still getting rid of excess! It means nothing!
Years of shopping that I thought were going to make me Happy all it did was push buying a home, saving, retirement etc further away. It's something in your 20's maybe even 30's you don't even think about. I started to say when I "wanted" something, "If I buy this the person that is really..going to need it wont be able to buy it, if i do". That actually works for me. If you love taking photos and want to age yourself later wear trends. If you want to look back and say wow I looked amazing wear classic cuts / styles.
Shopping addiction has definitely hit an all time high ! For me it escalated when I started my own channel
I have stepped back quite a bit but I could do better ,I enjoy travel so I desire that more than things ,I am always on the travel sites and checking prices for my next trip ! This helps me stop spending and I get such a high from doing that
I love these tips. What's worked for me is replacing the habit of scrolling through fashion sites and watching fashion content on UA-cam is replacing that with something else I enjoy which is healthy cooking. Now, I scroll through recipe sites and watch meal prep videos. Thanks for sharing!
Caitlin, not many people could afford a shopping addiction with luxury handbags at the prices they are now. I wish influencers would get together and decide to show women, beautiful handbags, that or not these exorbitant prices. There are many independent leather designers that produce beautiful handbags that not everyone is carrying.
Nobody needs multiple handbags
Deleting amazon helped me massively!
That’s great! Xx
And all the shoping app in general help a lot
Thank you for your openness. I have been struggling with buying things I don’t need and have found myself suffering the financial consequences. I impulse buy all the time. I’ve not shared this with anybody close to me because I’m embarrassed. Finally had a wake up call that it needs to stop. I like the journal you shared and intend to use it. I’ve already set up a budget for myself and decided that I will try to cost cut on my budget and at the end of the month I will make the decision to purchase 1 item I really desire or put the extra money towards my debt. I am trying to implement the process of giving myself 30 days to decide if I really need an item or not. I may keep a log in the journal so I can go back and see if the items I find myself wanting to purchase already exist in my wardrobe. Trying to replace the mindless scrolling a walk outdoors or cleaning the house (I can always find something that needs tidying!)
4:30 lol I’m trying to cut back on travel. Living in Europe with constant cheap flights, I was travelling sometimes to fill a void. I did feel inspired by channels like you’re to feel more mindful & enjoying it much better.
Like it’s embarrassing how many times I’ve booked flights either drunk or out of insomnia / boredom. I get it from my mother, once we went to South Africa because she seen it on a travel program at 8pm & we had flights and hotel booked for the following month by midnight
😂 I remember you telling me that story! That’s mad to me
Here I am booking trips with my family for this time next year lol xx
I think our society demonizes shopping (stuff) so they can promote travel in a good light. I always view travel in the same vein as material things that we buy from the store, because both of them are driven by capitalism; the only difference is that it's intangible so we think it's harmless, unlike when you buy stuff-stuff. Imo, some people are addicted to the "adrenaline rush" of travel because it gives them that chance to escape from their reality. It's the same when you buy bags. My point is, both are forms of escapism. At the end of the day, everything is good, but in moderation. And everything is bad if done too much. Regardless if it's tangible or not.
How well stated.
I just love watching people shop their own closets, or take style icons off Pinterest, etc and recreate those outfits. The whole point is to make it work with what you own now. So much fun, inspo and ideas I didn’t expect to see emerge. It has helped me a lot.
I agree! Nothing will humble you more than to looks at your bank account and digesting the changes.
Absolutely! Xx
I admit. I hate change. It was a little hard for me seeing you branch out from luxury and shopping; both things I highly enjoy. I wasn’t sure this new direction would be something I’d be into. No tea, no shade, no dig, just my own thoughts. That said, I believe everyone can grow and improve and find new or better self serving interests. If it’s not too personal, can you do a video on other creators you now watch? I’d be curious to check them out ❤️
Thankyou so much for your honesty! ❤️ yeah I might do a video like that Thankyou x
Hi Caitlin, I think I used always like to shop but then I lost my job a few months ago, it been so tough to find another job. Now since my loss of income I had to stop shopping 🛍️ 😢. I guess if I would have saved money instead of shopping, I would be able to travel now. Thanks for this video.
Had that same feeling. Because of the pandemic I keep on shopping and when I found out all the cost of the stuff I bought I completely cringe and told myself I could have used that money to travel to far flung places. But at the end of the day, the damage has been done. I don't want to linger on to that mistake. The best we can do is to move forward and learn from it. Let's not punish ourselves.
I'm right there with you. Lost my job four weeks ago. I'm trying to stay motivated. I've set four bags off to be consigned. I'm so nervous, but just know that other people are out here struggling too. You'll be in my thoughts.
@@_Tracy_B Thank you so much Tracy. I think it will be awhile before the job market improves. I wish you good luck with your job search.
I’m so sorry you lost your job 😔 I hope you find another soon!
Hi. I have decluttered so much over the past few years and downsized. Recently I lost my job and have been shopping to fill a void. Obviously it compounds my financial worries. I can't stop as it's an emotional coping mechanism. I did a no buy year in 2022. The tips here are great. Thanks
I absolutely love your new content. I subbed to your channel when you were still shopping because I found you so opposite of me and it was like this strange curiosity to see someone shop and buy all of these expensive things. I’m a minimalist and do a lot of what you are talking about here at this point in my life, naturally in order to keep my life, home and wardrobe simple. It is so refreshing seeing your new take on the old habits and how you are finding what is really important to you ❤
Thank you so much for being here ❤️❤️
This video is fantastic! I agree with you completely that watching content that encourages us to spend must come to an end. This is actually my second weekend whereby I stopped going clothing shopping/shopping in general, and it's been great! I feel like I have so much more time to enjoy other things in life rather than just the mall and back.
It’s just so true! Some of the tips I’m already practicing, like “step back” or return the thing to the shop after considering at home, but I have still a long way ahead of me to stop buying just for pleasure. You know, this is actually the easiest way to cheer yourself up, just go and try something on, and then buy, instead of find another hobby which would be more time-consuming and would take a lot of effort at least at the beginning. It’s hard to switch even when you understand the problem. So thank you for the tips, I’ve subscribed 😊
have you seen the videos of designer brands burning their excess stock? started with burberry revealing it and other fashion brands do it too to ensure scarcity. this whole revelation has left me actually totally looking at designer things with distain. things are different in this day and age with sustainability etc the whole thing is tone deaf.
It really is difficult especially if you work retail and all the lovely summer clothes are smack in front of you everyday 🤣🤣
One question I ask myself if "Why do you like it?" Most of the time I like it because I already have something very similar. At least I'm consistent!
Your videos are my new “scrolling”. You’re keeping me accountable! ❤
Love that! Thanks for being here 🥰
Another tip is to stick to what works for you. I used to love buying cheap designer dupes on Ebay but ended up finding that they didn’t work for my habit of lugging half my possession around 😂 So in the past few years Ive just been using Kanken backpacks, and i only buy new Kanken to replace a worn-out one. Same with makeup, I just buy what has been working for me, and just replace ones that have run out. Luckily I never use tiktok but instagram was my downfall for home décors. So make sure tou curate your social media to not make them present you with ads that would tempt you. Aim to follow positive, fulfilling content. I still haven’t got there at all, but I’m working on it.
Hi Caitlin, I love these kinds of videos beacuse of the sheer honesty that you give us.
Just a couple points from me, the thing that helped me the most was setting myself a big savings goal to hit at th end of the year. I'm thankfully on track to reach it :) also I love trends! The way I see it is all trends exist but not all have their time to shine. I know which trends I love but its just a matter of time when my faves have their moment. I do like to experiment a bit but for the most part stick to colour/fabrics and specific details that I require before buying something. Remind yourself of your standards and you wont be so swept up by everything.
Thankyou for sharing what works for you too 😘
This is Everything I needed to hear to Empower me to overcome my shopping addiction, Thank You Caitlin!
key is quality over quantity - still wear Burberry trench + Loro Piano cashmere coat from 20+ years ago, from young adult always was about quality but putting that aside and more important, experiences last a lifetime, things not so much - comment not exactly directed at shopping addiction but close enough, lol - better to have had shopping addiction than drug addiction so look on bright side!
Going thru the same transition. Becoming a minimalist.
Great tips..I get shopping addiction withdrawal symptoms and I'd like to know how to deal with those. Because they are the worst.
First video, new subscriber ❤ Good tips! I’ve been reading a lot about how monks live, and the whole thing with meditation etc. That’s really been helpful. The monks are like: your thoughts are not true (I want this), other peoples opinions don’t matter (buy to impress), they live with nothing, they don’t depend on other, they create peace just by being themselves. I just find that whole mindset really inspiring and have helped me with my shopping addiction. I have enough and I’m capable of owning my own will, even though everything in me needs this purchase, I know it’s just temporary.
I’ve never followed trends, because I feel everything just looks stupid on me 😅 but one time I saw an article that said omg, no, skinny jeans are trendy again - and that just made it for me. People hate these trends, but they still buy it just because it’s trendy? That’s so weird 😅 I also use skinny jeans myself and could care less that people hate them 😂 this industry is just fascinating…
So, going to check out other videos of yours now, I like you 😅
Hi Caitlin! I love how much you have grown since I started watching your channel awhile back. I, myself have had these shopping habits before until a few years ago where I put my finances before any materialistic thing aswell as travel. I sometimes feel like I am still giving in for some clothing items but it’s much less compared to before. I usually wait too to buy items I see or if it’s a type of store that only has the item there once I usually buy it and then let it sit for a few days/week then I reevaluate! I love your videos and keep speaking your truth and being you! You really shine bright! Thanks so much 💕
I'd be interested to see a video on the things you bought that were actually worth buying for you. Like, what are the purchases that made you happy then, and still make you happy now? I see you have a gorgeous collection of jewellery, so whilst it wouldn't be to tell people "buy this, it's worth it" - a nice collection of items that bring you joy is something I would watch. Sending love from London, UK x
A great tip that has helped me a lot : I restricted myself only to buy second hand last 10 years, and now im going to remove all the app so i cant buy anything anymore, i have way too much and can spend my time much better 😮🎉❤
Great listening sounds like you are doing great decluttering i find less clothes make dressing simple and even with less clothes i still find clothes to declutter at times
I overcame my shopping addiction by stop buying cold turkey. There’s no other way to quit an addiction.
Watching your channel has been a God send I leave for vacation on Saturday in 2 days and, I didn't buy anything new. Never have I ever been able to go a vacation without buying some type of new clothes or shoes so crazy. I actually stop watching all the UA-camrs that's only goal is to sell stuff their audience. It's ben difficult but amazing for me. Thanks Caitlin
You got this! I’m so proud of you! Hope you have an amazing time on vacation ❤️
Your recent content is so fresh and with the times. Thanks for the pivot. ❤
Glad you enjoy it! Thanks for watching 😘
Thank you so much. I just realized my shopping addiction is what is overcoming my whole life and the reason why my money ends up gone. These tips are so helpful! :))
I’ve seen some of your videos but this one made me hit the subscribe button. Thank you! I’m regular girl, I was quite poor during my university time-second hand shop was to pricy for me sometimes, I saved money from the tickets to buy some cheap food etc. Of course it is much better now…but I found myself wanting to buy so many things, watching YT videos about luxury items, fashion etc. I believe it’s just because I couldn’t afford it before. It makes me feel very guilty when I do,it as well because my beloved, wonderful husband is rather to save the money to invest or to think about our future. I don’t own luxury products except Cartier balloon blue watch that’s my husband bought for me for our anniversary (it was pre loved, but it makes me to love it even more). This video was what I needed! I’m Polish girl, living in China. Sending you lots of hugs!
Thankyou so much for being here ❤️
One thing that helped me was to really go thru my closet and find a great item ,,,clean them and display them, as a reminder that you probably have something already that’s great!
I just subscribed. We are so similar. Your talk of how you feel when planning a trip and traveling really spoke to me. That's me too!
Thanks for sharing this topic. My interest in handbag got out of touch, it was a coping mechanism. Also the war in Ukraine got me depressed and sad, I'm frightened of total nuclear global war. Handbags have been a nice distraction. My declutter process have taken 5 years.. ...my tip is try enjoy the process and take it at the time you are comfortable with. In this that way the clutter is not just exchange with other stuff. This quote from the minimalist podcast hitted home with me " luxury stuff could become just expensive clutter".
Thankyou for sharing this ❤️
Great video Caitlin, you have grown so much! I am proud of you.
Thankyou so much 🥰❤️
I love your advice on letting your cart sit for 24-48 hours. I just started doing that with Amazon, and it's saved so much money. It's amazing gow many online purchases have more to do with the emotion you feel in that moment.
Love this video thank you
Good point!
Love this advice !
I am so happy I stumbled upon this video, I love your energy.
Yeash, thank you for this. I’m looking at my house and I have a lot of stuff as a hoarder. I have some stuff I don’t need some or have room for. Some of this stuff is unopened or unused. Time to let it go, sell it, give it away, or throw it away. Thank you for this video.
I am a new subscriber and have been bingeing on your videos for a couple of days, they are really inspiring and helpful to me. I have similar issues and interests as you and would like to thank you for sharing your experiences and advice. Looking forward to new videos!
I have a budget and i go always shoping with my belly full, that helps me a lot to be in control
I just stay home 5 days a week. It worx! Paid off our mortgage doing this for a few yrs.❤
my bank account naturally stop my shopping addiction 😅
Just downloaded the journal and you did a great job. Really good questions I am going to think about each day. Thankk you Caitlin!
Yay! Thank you! I can’t wait to hear how you get on with it 🥰
8:30 omg I can’t stop admiring her shirt, and closet! -God this addiction is real, -I’ll keep watching💫lol
❤️ loved this video! So enjoying taking this journey with you Caitlin! Loving pairing down and keeping only what I LOOVE! ❤ life feels so much easier with so much less clutter! 🎉🥰
FABULOUS VIDEO! Omgosh seriously just the best tips and advice and although some of these things obvious, I can’t tell you how well you related to your points but also in the way you described turning the corner on them! THANK YOU! Love to hear more about any of these points! Appreciate your candor, honesty and humor!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching ❤️
Totally agree about number 11, I commented on your last video that I have a shopping addiction. I’m trying to find joy in other things and it’s a process to train your brain xx
Thanks for sharing!! ❤️ I am excited to hear about what you find joy in when you find it xx
Such a great video! I’ve been on a journey to change my relationship with things for a few years now, and you’re right on all these points - especially the one that one day it will just click and you won’t care as much about the trends, I’ve found that to be true and also one day it will start to click that investing the money instead of spending it is the only way to keep enough of what you earn to keep up with inflation!
I’m so glad we are on the same path with this 👏 😝
Such a relatable video. I’ve tried many of your tips.
I have a shopping problem well did or do, and I finally almost have all the debt from it paid off! 🎉 What helped me was my husband and minimalism.
Great job!
I just found your channel, and this video was meant for me!!! I am definitely going to save the video for future reference!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for being here ❤️
Great listening and so agree looking at shopping sites you are going to find something or many items to buy
So true! Thanks for watching x
@CaitlinPawlowski really like your channel and the topics you talk about
Love the longer hair on you. Good video. I watch animal documentaries, cooking channels, and alux on how too build wealth along with house hunters and decorating apartments 😊
Awesome! Thank you! ❤️
I just sold an mcm bag while at work today, to a woman who was recently burglarized. I guess she has money because, she was showing me on her phone, all the bags and jewelry they stole out of her house and even the porch camera photos of the burglars!! They got her while she was on vacation. Sometimes just having what you need and a few extra nice things makes it a lot less stressful than losing a bunch of expensive things in storage to burglars or a fire.
I really, really like this video ❣️
I 110% agree with everything you’ve said in this video. It’s really sad how much money we use on things that doesn’t matter instead on using our money on what matters and can create a truly happy life for ourselves.
I sometimes need to buy things just to see it for myself. In my hands, on my body - and then I’ll return it. It satisfies me I’ve discovered. Then the amazingness about the item sort of disappears and the item just becomes like all the other items I have.
Omg I do the same 😀☺️
Love these tips, thank you!
Very Very intresting and helpful video Caitlin❤❤
Glad you think so!❤️
@@CaitlinPawlowskiofcourse
great tip about early morning and late night scrolling. I have got into that habit lately and need to stop. I love hand bags and travel. I love some trends and I always ask myself the question of how long will they last. Timeless classics are the best.
Congratulations 🍾 🎊 👏 💐 🥳 on getting 50K subscribers!
Thank you so much 😀 ❤️
@@CaitlinPawlowski your welcome
Your channel is always such a breath of fresh air ✨
I really agree on you.and youre the only one I watched who explained on point and brief. Thank you
for me its during my commute, taking the train, subway and seeing the new outfits other people have make me want to buy the same thing
I’ve signed up for the 14D journal. 🙌🏼🙏🏼♥️🥰 Thank you! I love the idea about your dream team of 3 people! That’s awesome!!! Priceless! 🎉🎉🎉 This is another great video Caitlin. I found it helpful and I’m sure a lot of people would too ♥️🙏🏼😍
Yay!Thank you! Can’t wait to hear how you get on with it 😘
I work at a thrift store and get get extremely good discounts as employees and we also are allowed to have totes where we save stuff we wanna buy and we used to not really have a limit on time before buying the items so we could save things for a while and then have that time to think about what we really want to buy but now they have changed the rules at least 5 months ago to where we can only have the stuff in our tote until next paycheck .. and technically yes we could find it in the store and still buy it after but since it’s a thrift store and it’s typically only one of each item since it’s not a regular store with 50 of the same top in stock we know it’ll either be hard to find again or it will get bought by someone and so it unfortunately has contributed to my habits because now I feel like I have to buy something that I think is cute within a small timeframe so I pressure myself because I feel like I’ll regret it if I don’t but then so many times I have ended up buying things that aren’t even that cute and to make matters worse my co-workers all know my style and will either show me things or go ahead and add them to my tote so that I will end up seeing them 😅 then some days we have $5 bag sales and I can literally fit lotssss of shirts in a small Walmart bag - I got really good at the rolling them up method and at some point adding more than a few items feel like the extras are just “free” at that point because of the deal I’m getting so if there’s more room in the bag I tell myself it’s a waste to not take more advantage and I don’t feel I have to justify things as much and will shove shirts in there that I may not be fully in love with but I saw something cute about them thinking “it’s not like I’m getting charged any more for this” and I need to stop. My husband gets frustrated with the amount of clothes I am brining in and on top of that I have been in this weird slump for a while where I have clothes that I love and even have visions in how I want to style them but then I wear the ugliest stuff I own due to a) comfort and honestly laziness and b) I for some reason feel like I have to have a special occasion or will be taking pictures in order to dress cute even though I want to be one of those people who dresses their best daily
I love this content, mainly because you’re probably the only creator on here I know that has gone from fully indulging in shopping luxury to talking about being more mindful with money. The other creators are good too, but many just came from a different place that I couldn’t identify with - they were mostly people who had been pretty careful with their purchases anyway, or didn’t particularly care to indulge much in luxury shopping. So to see you come out the other side in some sense it’s been really helpful to hear what works for you. Thanks a lot for sharing!!!!
By the way, do you ever feel difficulty parting with items that you sell? To be honest I do - especially when they are still unworn or unused, or when they cost a certain price but now can only fetch a fraction of what I paid. How do you deal with that/reframe those thoughts?
Thankyou so much!
Honestly I had to become at peace with it and accept that this was the consequence and try to look on the positive that I’m AT LEAST getting some money back you know? Xx
Thanks, very helpful! ❤
So well-reasoned and helpful! 👏🥂
When I want to buy something I think “will I be able to wear this in 10 years” “what if my style changes and I look weird wearing this when I get old” and then I take too long to buy something because I’m so indecisive 😂
Great advice! I'm just starting this journey and I need all the help I can get
Great video as always. I am still fighting with the need to have that dopamine rush when package is arriving, but I also came to the point that I return 99% of things that I order. That is also why I order everything online, almost all stores have free returns, and I wait for few days to see if I still want/need the item or it was just my addiction ordering it. Also If I decide to keep something I ask my boyfriend for opinion and he can be brutal sometimes :D. But yeah, shopping addiction is not any different from any other addiction, what annoys me is that it is normalized, especially for women. It is really rare that people are talking about it. It is very easy to start it, but it takes a lot of time, will and energy to fight against it. Thank you for your videos, they help a lot.
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
I love “find your fashion identity”
Thank you for being so open and honest about this(:
I couldn't agree more with you 100% ❤ thank you for your sharing..
Thank you for the awesome tips! I can totally relate with all of these feelings!