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To Buy or Not to Buy: Why We Overshop and How to Stop |  | Author: April Benson
Publisher: Trumpeter
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $12.20
as of 9/8/2010 22:22 CDT details
You Save: $4.75 (28%)
New (10) Used (12) from $10.90
Seller: bordeau_books
Rating:  10 reviews
Sales Rank: 796719
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Paperback
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 5.6 x 0.8
Dewey Decimal Number: 616.8584
Publication Date: December 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Are you a shopaholic?Do you use shopping as a quick fix for the blues? Do you often buy things that you don’t need or can’t afford? Do your buying binges leave you feeling anxious or guilty? Is your shopping behavior hurting your relationships? Have you tried to stop but been unable to?
If so, you are not alone. Nearly 18 million Americans are problem shoppers, unable to break the buying habits that lead them into debt, damaged relationships, and depression. If this describes you, or someone you care about, the help you need is here.
Drawing on recent research and on decades of working with overshoppers, Dr. April Benson brings together key insights with practical strategies in a powerful program to help you stop overshopping. As you progress through this book, you’ll take back control of your shopping and spending and create a richer, more meaningful and satisfying life.
To learn more about the author, visit her website: www.stoppingovershopping.com
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
Fabulous August 22, 2010
C. B. Vizcarra
This book is like having Dr. Benson by your side in helping you reflect upon the unlikely of habits - over shopping.
From the Perspective of a Professional Organizer & Coach June 28, 2010
Andrea Sharb (Ohio)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have been coaching one of my clients, who is an "over-shopper" through this book for the past few months. We had cleared a lot of the clutter from her home in 2009, but we both knew that it would return if she did not gain control over her shopping. In January 2010 I introduced her to the book and the companion journals with the hope that she would work her way through it. Instead, she requested that I coach her through it and it has been a fantastic experience for both of us.
In the book, Benson encourages the shopper to enlist the support of a "Shopping Support Buddy", the requirements for which are outlined in great detail, but who is essentially an advocate for the individual working their way through the program. I am serving as my client's advocate and her accountability partner in her journey through the book.
Here are what I feel to be the highlights of the program:
In the first part of the book the reader explores what they are shopping for and why and documents their explorations in a companion journal. The journaling and exercises in these early chapters have proven very powerful for my client and she has a experienced a significant number of "ah-ha" moments.
In Chapter Two, Dr. Benson provides a wonderful acknowledgement to the reader for getting this far and then encourages the reader to explore whether or not this journey is really worth the effort. So many self help books assume you're "all in" right from the beginning. Dr. Benson wants to keep checking in with you. This is demonstrated again in the section "To Stop or Not to Stop", which explores ambivalence around stopping shopping.
Chapter Four introduces a very powerful tool called the "Daily Weigh-in", which builds upon daily tracking of expenses through the introduction of a "Necessity Score." The use of this score takes tracking one's expenses to a new level and does a lot to raise awareness on the part of the over-shopper.
In Chapter Five I appreciated Dr. Benson's focus on Self-Kindness, Self-Care and Self Respect, and the list of "Acts of Self Kindness" that the reader can use to replace shopping.
Finally, I appreciated this statement to readers from Chapter Seven, titled Mindful Shopping, "Your challenge is to stay emotionally centered and mindful - of what you plan to buy; of what you can comfortably afford to spend; of what you're responding to [when you shop]; and, above all, of who you are and what really matters to you." This nicely sums up what the program helps the reader to accomplish.
Though therapy is probably the most direct method for dealing with over-shopping, utilizing To Buy Or Not To Buy and the companion journals has the potential of helping a lot of people who might not be comfortable with the idea of trying therapy. If the over shopper is able to make significant progress on their own, or with the support of a coach, fantastic. If not, then hopefully they'll at least build enough awareness on their own, that they might try the therapy route.
Certain to Produce Results January 23, 2010
Alyssa Archambo (USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
A great book that provides valuable steps for learning how to gain confidence and take control of your life and your debt. The program Dr. Benson provides is not an easy one, but if the reader puts in the work, they will definitely become more mindful of the underlying causes of their compulsive shopping as well as their shopping habits.
Absolutely Excellent-Highly Insightful September 25, 2009
M. J. Brice (Chicago, IL USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book has been phenomenally helpful in allowing me to understand the "demons" that I have obviously been living with for so many years. I am now 66 years old and finally coming to terms with the underlying reasons for the behaviors that I have struggled with over and over again throughout my life. Thank you Dr. Benson!
Very Helpful September 19, 2009
M. Bacon (St. Louis, MO)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've just started reading the book. It has already been helpful. Buy the extra journals from the author, and use them.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 10
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