Reality Check #2: Are you a Shopaholic or a Frugal person?

Pondering if you are a Shopaholic Miss Bloomwood?

Maybe you are exactly like a Rebecca Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic or maybe you are a total opposite. Have you ever wondered if you are more of a shopaholic or a frugal person, you can find out by asking yourself the questions I complied in this blog entry. After I blogged about Confessions of a Shopaholic in my previous blog entry, I did this test on myself with 2 other friends. When you think about Shopaholism or Frugalilty, there are so many definitions out there. So hopefully this checklist helps you determine that. I also created these 2 boxes inserting the word shopaholic and frugality in 7 different languages for fun.

Check this list to see how many shopaholic characteristics you possess.

You are a Shopaholic if you:

1. Shop frequently (not just window-shopping);
2. Shop compulsively (buying without 2nd thought);
3. Spend beyond your means (no savings);
4. Shop as a result of confused emotions;
5. Lie to cover up your purchases;
6. Cannot resist not having the newest or latest item;
7. Cannot resist a bargain (buying 'cos it's cheap).

I never thought I had that much of a shopaholic gene in me till I did this reality check test. I had characteristics 1,2,6,7. L had characteristics 1,2,3,6,7. Pat had characteristics 7 and a little of 6.

Check how many of these frugality characteristics you possess.

You are a frugal person if you:

1. Shop in a restrained manner (needs not wants);
2. Seek to find the best deal that meets desired value;
3. Use something you already owned resourcefully;
4. Never spend beyond your means (less debt);
5. Seldom splurge on things with no long-term value;
6. Never shop with emotion but with logic;
7. Have long-term goals and savings.

I had characteristics 3,4,6,7 and a little of 2. L had characteristics 2, 3, and a little of 6. Pat had characteristics 1,2,4,5,6, and a little of 7.

Now, review each of the characteristics that you checked and see if you primarily a shopaholic or a frugal person. I had half shopaholic and a little more than half frugality characteristics in me so I am somewhere between a 50/50 and a 40/60. Or you could be a 70/30 like my most shopaholic friend L (she doesn't want her name revealed), or 20/80 like my most frugal friend Pat. Irregardless, frugality is still the ultimate goal here. Let's all strive to achieve that.