Compulsive Buyer Tries To Go A Year Without Shopping

MIAMI (CBS4) -- She calls Target her "Kryptonite." So is it any wonder that Elizabeth Liu has a bit of a problem staying out of malls? Compulsive shopping is a real disorder where people turn to shopping to make themselves feel better but they often learn the hard way that a shopping addiction can place them in a financial freefall.

That's why Elizabeth, a self-described compulsive shopper, is working to overcome her urge to splurge.

Elizabeth was once a runaway teen mom who lived on welfare. After she married, she developed an addiction to shopping.

"There was always an opportunity to buy something. It really was I think just the thrill of the acquisitions for me," explained Elizabeth.

Target was her favorite. "Sometimes I would end up going to Target for one thing and my cart would end up having 20 things instead of one."

Elizabeth recently realized that she needed to lighten the load on her wallet because all that heavy spending was weighing her down.

"I started collecting shoes and I actually had to move it out of my closet because it was taking up too much space."

She stepped into a new lifestyle when she decided to keep a blog and see if she could go one year without shopping.

"I just wanted to prove to myself that there are so many other things to do," she explained.

Elizabeth can buy food of course — and she is also allowing herself make-up, haircuts , the gym and charity; but no fast food, shoes, jewelry, clothing, DVDs, CDs, special coffees or home accessories.

Elizabeth said she decided to start the blog in September 2010, on her 30th birthday. It's called Flourish in Progress.

She hopes once her experiment is over, she will shop in moderation and help others addicted to shopping realize that happiness does not have to be purchased.

"Whatever it is that's keeping you from doing what you want to do or becoming what you really want to become that should be your project," said Elizabeth.

Elizabeth also said when she first started her stop shopping project, she unsubscribed to her retail e-mails. She thought she had about 20 and was shocked to learn she was getting 111 retail e-mails on a regular basis.

For more on the blog and Elizabeth, click on the following link: http://www.flourishinprogress.com.