We love fashion! But what happens when our spending gets out of control? For Kelly, it was a close call and a valuable lesson.
For those of us with a passion for fashion, we often joke about our addiction with family and friends. It’s a part of who we are, and anyway, we look amazing darling!
But what happens when our passion starts taking over our life?
It was when Kelly got a promotion at work that things started to get out of control.
“I got the biggest pay rise of my career. My husband and I were excited, and we talked about upsizing our home. He was still establishing his web design company, so we decided to put it off for a year. I should have been saving, but I wasn’t”.
“He was working late and was often away on client assignments interstate, so I had more time to myself. I went shopping”.
“I was working in the city and I’d often stop by Myer or David Jones on my way home. At first it was small purchases like a new fragrance and things for our house, but then I started to buy shoes and dresses and accessories”.
Despite the more senior position, Kelly now had a team to manage things for her, and she found herself browsing fashion websites and ordering online. “It was just one thing after another. Once I started spending, I couldn’t stop”.
Kelly’s husband Brett managed their banking, so to avoid him finding out about her out-of-control spending, she applied for a new credit card. “I maxed that out within a month, and I kept that a secret from him too”.
Kelly knew she was out of control when she applied for a $4,000 payday loan online and got approved in 24 hours.
“I saw an ad on a website and I just clicked it. They make it so easy to get money, I couldn't help myself”.
Payday loans are often used by people who need cash fast to fund unexpected emergencies or expenses. “I knew that, and I knew I really didn’t need the new Gucci handbag I bought with it, but I justified it to myself because the bag was on sale. It seemed like an emergency to me”.
Kelly ended up paying the loan back from her next 2 paycheques, but she knew then that enough was enough. Kelly saw a counsellor who specialised in spending addiction, and she managed to reign in her habit before it caused any permanent damage between her and her husband.
“I never told him about the payday loan. I kept that one a secret. But I’m sure he knew what was going one. I started taking over his wardrobe, and any time we went out I had on something new”.
Kelly has finally managed to get her addiction under control.
“My counsellor helped me put a budget together to pay off my remaining debt. I know now that using things like payday loans to buy handbags could put my relationship at risk. It’s good to know though that if I’m ever in an emergency, I can get cash quickly. But as my counsellor pointed out, Gucci really isn’t an emergency. Now Prada on the other hand…”.
