Money Monday: Think Before You Spend

WSVN -- Jessica Kizorek loves to shop.

Jessica Kizorek: "I really like spending money."

Her favorite splurge are orchids.

Jessica Kizorek: "I could easily go to Home Depot and spend $200 worth of orchids, and I get them in my car and my house and I'm like, 'Oh, they're so pretty. Did I really need this many?'"

Experts say there's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you buy that special something.

Psychiatrist Dr. Eva Ritvo: "Oh, it's a rush. It's definitely a rush. The reward center of the brain is stimulated. When we go shopping and we see something we like, boom! Dopamine. We want it."

To take control, Dr. Ritvo says first take a close look at your spending habits.

Dr. Eva Ritvo: "That will give you a handle and break things into categories. Are you overspending on clothes? Are you overspending on food? Different people have different vulnerabilities."

To get things under control, create budgets in areas you overspend. When it's time to shop, decide how much you can spend. Use cash only and leave your credit cards at home. If there's something you really think you need, wait a day before you buy it.

Dr. Eva Ritvo: "Go home, check your closet, look at your budget and make sure you really want it."

Always ask yourself, do I need it or do I just want it? The answer could keep you from making a purchase you might regret. Avoid temptation by limiting the time spent on-line or at your favorite boutique and be careful of sales. Just because something is a deal doesn't mean you should buy it.

These days, Jessica is being more careful about how she spends her money.

Jessica Kizorek: "It's not just about, 'Oh, this month this is the money I've got, but how am I conserving? How am I building assets? What am I investing in too?' So it's not just constantly out the door."

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