Baseball has long been referred to as “America’s pastime,” but there’s a formidable contender vying for the same title: shopping. We live in an undeniably shop-happy society, where people routinely live above their means just to get the high that comes from making a purchase. We want more stuff and we want it instantly, and the stores are more than happy to oblige – or indulge – with enticing sales, later hours, free shipping, no down payment, extended credit, or other perks that make it oh so easy to get our shopping fix.

It’s true that shopping is a necessity; it’s something that absolutely everyone has to do at one point or another. And most people, while they enjoy it, don’t go overboard. Almost everyone will at some time make an impulse buy … but not at the risk of running themselves into the hole financially. At times like these, when we go out to get a rake and end up with a new patio set, we may jokingly admonish ourselves for our “shopaholic” tendencies. It’s a term that gets tossed around and used loosely, in an off-handed manner, but the truth is that there are real shopaholics out there. Compulsive spending isn’t a joke; it’s no laughing matter. For many people, it’s a fact – and it can make a person’s life miserable. Could you be an actual shopaholic?