Confessions of Shopaholic-ism

I hate to admit that I saw the movie, but I did. Even worse, I dragged my husband along.. We stayed through the entire movie and rather enjoyed ourselves. We chose the movie because we’ve seen every single movie out right now that was worth seeing, including He’s Just Not That In to You. Both are silly movies that actually left us smiling. But I digress. What I wanted to share with readers are the thoughts that ran through my head after the movie. It’s the tale of a young woman who gets enthusiastic about over consumption and incurs massive debt. She finds her way to happily ever after, as movies sometimes do. But debt burdened American’s won’t be saved within a 2 hour story line.

Of course the movie was conceived and made well before our national economic crisis. But you have to wonder how the movie company made the decision to release this film right now. I think it’s exactly because of the times. Hello, may I introduce you to a picture of you, America? Did you incur massive credit card debt? How about your home, did you purchase one that you truly could not afford? Or may be you sucked the equity out of your home in order to purchase, well, everything! Are you running from debt collectors? Have you lost your job? You might as well be the young woman with the Gucci bag full of over-extended credit cards. We are a country of Shopaholics! We suffer from shopaholic-ism. We’ve been on the see it, charge it, and try to pay for it, program.

Whoops! Stop the train! Shopaholic-ism has been thrown off the track. We followed the heard to the over-consumption hotel and now we are having shock treatments at the asylum. The housing market has crashed and whether its because of the greed of lenders, “liar loans”, stupidity of buyers, what ever the reason…it’s over. So, go to your fearful place like the rest of the heard and stop. We’ve been forced to stop, we’ve been told to stop and now stopping has brought the rest of the economic crisis to a head.

No spending results in retail deaths. Obviously, we have to find some kind of balance, but how? Our homes may be gone or worth less and our retirement funds aren’t worth talking about. Now what? Now you shopaholics have no shopping power left. You’ll have to hope the President will give you a happily ever after ending scenario that will save you.

Meanwhile, I desperately hope this country can get over itself and become a bipartisan, love America, save America country. Let’s walk on the best path possible. I’m listing two small one bedroom condos in the West Loop in the very near future. Both will be listed at lower than expected, but current market value pricing. That means that those of you who did not loose your shirt in the stock market or over spend should read the signals. If you have not been a shopaholic, you actually have a job, positive credit rating and money in the bank, then you can take advantage of lower housing prices, lower interest rates and buy a condo or a house at a great price. Homebuyers step up to the plate. Americans are counting on you.