A Shopaholic Finds Love: Behind the Scenes of GAINING INTEREST -

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Can’t resist a sale?
Have a budget, but rarely stick to it?
Do store clerks know you by zip code?
Does your credit card have a name: Maxed Out?
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. The holidays are a season of giving, but for shopaholics they’re the equivalent of an alcoholic at a beer keg party—temptation everywhere. Sales, discounts, buy one get one free, layaway…all to the tune of holiday music. It was during one holiday season when I came up with the premise for GAINING INTEREST.

A close friend of mine had just spent over $600 dollars on clothes she didn’t need (and couldn’t afford). I convinced her to take all the items back and cancel her store credit card. I then went to the library and read Julia Cameron’s MONEY DRUNK, MONEY SOBER and bought it for her and another friend of mine. The other friend, who happened to spend more on clothes than on food and rent, read the book and said that it didn’t pertain to her…oooookay.

I realized she was in denial. I love denial. Denial equals conflict. Conflict is story. That got my mind running. What if a woman with a spending problem meets someone who forces her to face it?
Eric and Adriana’s story hit the ground running.
A number of readers wrote to tell me how much they could relate with Adriana’s struggle and I’m so glad I wrote it. If you overspend in any way, MONEY DRUNK, MONEY SOBER will make you think and (I hope) GAINING INTEREST will make you smile.
The holidays are definitely a fevered time to overspend so before you hand over that cash, write that check or swipe that credit card remember:
True friends love you for who you are, not what you give.
Experiences (a chat with a friend, a stroll through the park) matter more than things.
Sales ALWAYS come back.