EPISODE · Sep 18, 2025 · 28 MIN
#226: Shopping as Self-Soothing: How I Broke the Cycle
from Inspired Budget · host Allison Baggerly
If you’ve ever felt that rush from clicking “Buy now,” waited for the package like it was Christmas morning, and then… felt the guilt later, you’re not alone. In this episode, I share the honest story of how I used shopping to cope with stress, boredom, and hard feelings—and the simple shifts that helped me break the cycle.We’ll talk about why shopping feels good in the moment (hello, dopamine and anticipation), the real emotional cost that shows up later (avoidance, dread, and sleepless nights), and the four changes that made a lasting difference for me.Whether you’re impulse-adding to cart after a long day or “treating yourself” out of stress, you’ll walk away with a 3-step plan you can use the next time the urge hits, plus a flexible way to budget for fun without derailing your goals!Read the Psychology Today article: Shopping, Dopamine, and AnticipationYou Might Like: Get the FREE Goodbye Debt Tracker! Grab my FREE Budgeting Cheat Sheet. Get the Budget My Paycheck Spreadsheet. Follow Allison on Instagram! @inspiredbudget Check out Inspired Budget's blog. Take my FREE class on How to Budget to Build Wealth!
What this episode covers
If you’ve ever felt that rush from clicking “Buy now,” waited for the package like it was Christmas morning, and then… felt the guilt later, you’re not alone. In this episode, I share the honest story of how I used shopping to cope with stress, boredom, and hard feelings—and the simple shifts that helped me break the cycle. We’ll talk about why shopping feels good in the moment (hello, dopamine and anticipation), the real emotional cost that shows up later (avoidance, dread, and sleepless nig...
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#226: Shopping as Self-Soothing: How I Broke the Cycle
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