One month down, several more to go!

I haven't shopped for a whole month. That's four weeks of no new clothes and shoes. 

And today, I went into Accessorize to buy a present for a friend. I bought her present, I very nearly bought a clutch bag and some cute knickers for myself but then I PUT THEM DOWN. I paid for her present and left, left, left! 

Now I was worried that Primark the other day was a fluke. But being able to leave two shops without buying anything for myself is a much more concrete achievement. I know I'm well on the road to shopping addiction recovery! 

And such is the extensiveness of my wardrobe, friends think I haven't given up shopping. For example, yesterday I wore my red Galaxy rip off dress purchased in the January sales for a mere £30. My friend Hannah commented on its general lovelyness (I agreed) and then made a face as if to say, 'when did you buy that, have you broken the ban?' It took me a couple of minutes to convince her that I bought it ages ago! 

So thus far, I'm doing Gok proud, I'm wearing rather than buying.  

However, methinks it may get harder. This may be a shock to some people but I have in fact gone an entire month without shopping before. Ok, this may not have been recently, but I have done it. The second month is another case entirely. The last time I did that I was that penniless thrifty student. And I still have a long way to go before I get that overdraft paid off. 

Unlike a chemical addiction such as smoking, this shopping ban will only get harder the longer I carry it on for. You see, I do actually need clothes. Maybe not quite as many as I own but I do have to wear something. If I don't, I get arrested/molested.

However, drugs, fags, etc. You don't actually need those things. They don't actually enrich your life in any way. No one says to a smoker, 'wow, that pack of cigarettes is so pretty, where did you buy it from?' No friendships or common interests are established over drugs. There is no artistry in a line of coke as there is in that perfectly cut dress. 

And when the toxins are out of your system it gradually gets easier. 

Shopping addiction is not about toxins, it's a psychological desire. Much harder to kick people! 

But if this ban teaches me anything it's to buy what I need, rather than what I want. I just need to keep it up rather than fall back into the sloths of irresponsible spending. 

Current overdraft total: £1,819.13. Much worse than last week. Eek.