First off, I am not suggesting acquiring any kind of tendency toward extreme indulgence or oniomania! What I'm getting at with the idea of shopping away stress is just making yourself happy with a slight dose of retail therapy.
The 1986 Christmas Eve issue of the Chicago Tribune first put the idea out there: "We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy." This is clearly unhealthy. Don't measure your life by shopping bags.
I've implemented retail therapy and it definitely served as a pick-me-up! This is saying something because I don't like to spend money on anything but food. In fact, it feels good to spend extra for a meal I know I'll really, really enjoy. Even though my presents to myself are usually of the food variety, I recommend buying yourself something you want, but don't need, and will get use out of. My most recent session of retail therapy resulted in a pair of Steve Madden boots I wear almost everyday in the harsh weather of my hilly campus, and I still get excited that I own them every time I put them on. Sure, I could have bought a cheaper pair of boots but this pair was just what I really wanted. Also, I might argue that the extra cash spent pretty much bought that little sense of joy I get whenever I wear them, and now it feels well worth it.
At the end of a week of feeling overworked, shopping for your family, dealing with an overbearing boss or pushing through a never ending grocery list, you owe yourself a personal favor. So think of a present to yourself that is something you've always wanted, but you know there are better ways to spend that money. Might not be worth it if you feel like ultimately you've wasted money, so think about after the fact and choose something that would REALLY make you happy to have. You know my suggestions: food or shoes.
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