PUT THE CARD DOWN

WITHOUT SHAME

Getting yourself out of a spending habit is easier said than done.

Put the Card Down

As a former shopaholic, Kenia Gutierrez found her way out of her shopping

addiction. by CATALINA CASTILLO

The last time Kenia Gutierrez hit rock bottom, she had purchased $4,000 worth of clothes in just four months. “My closet was so full of clothes, it looked like it was about to explode,” says Gutierrez. “Seeing my closet like that made me feel guilty. Most of the clothes still had a tag on.”

Today, Gutierrez is a recovering shopaholic who once spent most of her paycheque on clothing from brands like Aritzia, Zara and Nike. “There was no more money for me to spend on clothes or to spend on a night out with my girlfriends,” says Gutierrez. “I was so mad at myself for letting this situation get out of control.”

According to Statista, retail sales from the clothing industry in Canada amount to approximately $25.9 billion in 2020, and will likely grow to $35.8 billion by 2024. And Gutierrez was a big contributor to that bottom line. Making smart decisions with her money wasn’t easy, she says. She spent almost half of her paycheque on Aritzia’s Fall 2021 collection. “I could not resist, seeing how gorgeous the new collection looked on Aritzia’s Instagram account,” she says.

And dealing with Instagram, she realized, had to be her first step. It was her inspiration source for fashion tips, but she was easily tempted by her favourite brands’ fashion posts. “Unfollowing the brand on Instagram was something I had to do in order to cope with my shopping impulse.”

While she purchased most of her clothes online, she’d still face temptation when out with her girlfriends at the mall. So she learned a few new strategies there, too. “When I was at the store, I would constantly ask myself if I already had something similar in my closet,” she says. “99 percent of the time, the answer was yes.”

Gutierrez also learned to shop only when absolutely necessary. “Once in a while I do need to buy underwear or shirts, because those are things that I use a lot,” she says. “I make a list on my phone of the things I need to buy, and I stick with my shopping plan.” She eventually learned to only purchase the clothing pieces she needed, and leave the store without buying additional clothes.

Gutierrez has been practicing these strategies for over three months now, and she feels more in control of her money. “These past months have made me feel much happier with myself and my decisions,” she says. “Not only have I been responsible with my money, but now I have money to spend on experiences, and not things.” The money she’s saved has allowed her to enroll in kickboxing classes, and share a few dinner dates with friends. “I can’t believe not long ago I was spending my hard-earned money on material things, and not on these experiences that make me way happier,” she says. “I still love the idea of styling clothes and expressing myself through fashion, but now I am aware I can still do these things with all the clothes I already own.” ■