Hi lovelies,

We’ve all been there. Sometimes, it can feel that the best way to pick up our mood is to purchase something new, perhaps new clothes, perhaps some new decors for our home, or perhaps, in more normal times, a nice evening out in a beautiful restaurant. There’s nothing particularly wrong with this, of course. However, if this becomes our de-facto method of trying to lift our mood, retail therapy becomes less ‘therapy’ and more ‘obsession,’ and that can mean even larger purchases feel less and less satisfying, not to mention the general effect from failing to manage your financial affairs responsibly.

So - like any form of care, obsessive retail therapy can often become damaging, with perhaps more noticeable consequences than most.

But does it have any merit? After all, purchasing a bath bomb to enjoy a beautiful nighttime bath with beautiful scents and bubbles costs money, but it’s hard to argue that feeling pampered and relaxed can’t help you beat stress from time to time. So - if it works as self-care, what principles can we use to make the most of it? Let’s consider:

Earning Your Treat
Earning whatever treat or purchase you have your eye on can be a nice middle ground. Perhaps you’d love to check out SofaDreams unique sectionals for your refurnished living space, but you know that you won’t be able to spend much time sitting on one given how thick your work schedule has been. That’s fine. Perhaps in a month you can make that purchase knowing that the latest creative project has been delivered on, and that you really outdid yourself. In this way, you moderate your retail therapy, and it’s used as a celebration and motivator to help you become your best self. That’s a great way of keeping your spending in check.

Long-Lasting, Wise Purchases
Furthermore, the wish to indulge in retail therapy from time to time doesn’t preclude the need to know what you’re purchasing and to spend on high-quality, long-lasting, well crafted and defined items. If you can achieve that, then you’re much more likely to not only make the most of ‘retail therapy,’ but you’ll be better off for it. This might involve looking for designer clothing brands on apps like Depop, sourcing a great deal from time to time. It could mean investing in a more expensive pair of shoes that you know will last and that can be repaired, rather than a simple and impulsive purchase of a cheaper item. In other words, if you’re discerning, retail therapy moderates itself.

Investments You Can Share
It can be nice to invest in an experience you can share from time to time. That way, the ‘retail therapy’ is something your entire family or friendship group can enjoy. Perhaps you might simply purchase a nice coffee for a friend from time to time. Maybe a weekend away can be a great means of spending more time with your family despite your intense job. Outfitting your family home with little comforts can help everyone feel a little more comfortable. In this way, you maximize the enjoyment of retail therapy, and it feels a little less personally indulgent to do so.

With this advice, we hope you can not only make the best use of retail therapy when it’s warranted, but to do so sensibly and with moderation.