This was originally part of our Shoelabs page, but we thought it made more sense to be here on the blog. This was part of our holiday shopping promotion stuff we did at the end of last year.

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Remember those Advent calendars you had has a kid? Each day in December you opened a new door on the calendar and found a rich, creamy (or perhaps stale) piece of chocolate. Well here is Shoeboxed’s version of an Advent calendar… forget the chocolate, here are some rich, creamy (never stale) places to shop!

December 20: Smell Your Best for the Rest FragranceNet.com

You can make even the black sheep of the family smell nice with some perfume or cologne from FragranceNet.com.

December 19: Cruise the Strip…on a Cooler CruzinCooler.com

Drive around on your gas or electric-powered cooler-on-wheels and always have a cold drink at your convenience!

December 18: Score a Hole-In-One This Holiday Season Golfun.net

No matter what your handicap is, these golf gifts are sure to crack you up.

December 17: Hilarity Ensues With a Busted Tee BustedTees.com

Without me, it is just aweso…and without these shirts, it is just not funny.

December 16: A Few Necessities for the Young Ones BabyCenterStore.com

This site has everything that you will need for the youngest members of your family.

December 15: Capture All Your Holiday Memories Geeks.com

Make sure you get every memory from this holiday season on camera with help from some Geeks!

December 14: We All LOVE Chocolate EatLoveChocolate.com

These custom, handmade truffles, bonbons and caramels from a local boutique chocolatier are Shoboxed team favorites! We met this chocolatier at a local event for small business owners and were able to sample her chocolates. Her training at the French Culinary Institute and desire to create the highest quality product possible make these chocolates even more LOVEable.

December 13: Gifts for Drinkers KegWorks.com

Shoeboxed is not liable for how much fun you will have with these gifts.

December 12: Radio Control Submarines, Helicopters, Cars and More WonderHobby.com

Go ahead and hunt for Red October right in your own fish tank.

December 11: Simple Gift Accessories for Your Notebook and iPod blueLounge.com

Einstein has one of these for his iPod…so should you.

December 10: Costumes Aren’t Just for Kids Anymore BuyCostumes.com

Halloween isn’t the only holiday you can dress up for! Be the life of the party with one of these awesome costumes.

December 9: Miles of Exercise in Your Own Backyard www.EndlessPools.com

The swimmer’s treadmill provides a never-ending lap lane in a fraction of the space.

December 8: For the Directionally Challenged

TigerGPS.com

Wherever you’re going in life, a new dashboard, handheld, or wrist-worn GPS system will help you get there.

December 7: Be Your Own Designer

href=”http://www.customizedgirl.com”>CustomizedGirl.com
Customizing your girl may be pretty difficult, but customizing her clothes is easy!

December 6: Hoodies for the Holidays StylinOnline.com

Hook it up with these hoodies for any style, any age, and any occassion.

December 5: Great Gag Gifts Galore FreshTrend.com

These gifts would even make Ebenezer Scrooge crack a smile.

December 4: 7 Irresponsible and Fun Ways to Spend Your Holiday Bonus bargaineering.com

Forget a new water heater, you need a plasma TV!

December 3: Gifts That Women Will Actually Love Shefinds.com

Shefinds.com shops the web (for women) so you don’t have to…no more lame-gift excuses, gentlemen.

December 2: Design Gifts and Home Furniture Ideas Singulier.com

You’ll definitely be the talk of the office after you host the annual holiday party with a few of these handy items around your house.

December 1: 10 Reasons We’re Doomed: SkyMall Edition Gizmodo.com

These little gizmos and gadgets are completely ridiculous and slightly unnecessary…but you’ll love them!

I tend to think that financial, physical, and mental clutter are interconnected. A writer for Simple Dollar ( a financial blog “for the rest of us”) blogged on Unclutterer (organization for all) about this concept in a great entry that I wanted to share with you. “The Connections Between Mental, Physical, and Financial Clutter” preaches how becoming a mindful consumer can limit your spending to more essential purchases.

The first step to becoming a mindful consumer is to practice being mindful in the present. Erin Doland from Unclutterer has a 30-second challenge. Close your eyes and entertain thoughts relevant to everything that is going on around you. Shut out your to-do list, stop thinking about your boyfriend/girlfriend, and don’t let your mind swirl. Are your ideas focused? Are your muscles tense or sore? Is your breathing rapid or deep?

Being mindful of the present, and only the present, can be very difficult. I didn’t make it longer than five minutes, without losing focus on the present. Practice during your everyday activities. Next time you shop, ask yourself, “why do I need this?” Figure out how many hours of work it would take you to pay for the product. You’ll find that when you rationalize your purchases, it’s easier to stay within your budget.

While the article touched on what can be done in the moment to become a mindful consumer, I think that it’s essential to train your mind to evaluate purchases through reflection. If you’re a “math” person, examine your spending history statistically. You can use Shoeboxed’s graphs (found at the bottom of each of your shoeboxes) to analyze how you’ve been spending and evaluate specific purchases. Does your spending have an upward trend? What could you do to curb it? When you shop, try to visualize where your purchase would fall on the graph. Would this purchase continue your upward spending? Would this purchase deviate extremely from your average spending on products of this type?

If you’re more of an “English” person, grab a journal and a pen. Reflect on some of your purchases. You can look over your receipts, to help you remember what you’ve purchased at what cost. Did the purchase live up to your expectations? Did the product last long enough to warrant it’s initial cost? Do you use the product often? If you find that your purchases haven’t lived up to your expectations relative to their cost, research and see if there are cheaper/better alternatives. Next time you shop, compare purchases with those you’ve reflected on. Will the purchase fulfill your needs and expectations?

Reflect and clear your thoughts to rationalize your decisions. Being aware of how you are spending your money, is the first step to curbing unnecessary expenditures.

We all know someone who shops a lot. They talk about how much they love it, about what they bought. Some even openly admit that they have a problem. Nicole, blogger and author of Budgeting Babe wrote an article about her shopping addiction.[link] She gave a few smart tips for people who are trying to curb their shopping addiction. But how do you know if you have a problem in the first place?

If you think that you or your friend might have a shopping addiction, here are a few questions that should ask yourself:

Spending over budget. Are you in deep financial trouble because you overspend? Do you find yourself justifying purchases that you realistically can’t afford?

Compulsive buying. Do you ever go in for one pair of shoes and come out with 10?

A chronic problem. Is your spending more than just a Christmas spree, and a problem that you struggle with year-round?

Hiding the problem. Do you ever feel like you have to hide your purchases because you’re afraid of what your spouse or friends might say?

A vicious circle. Do you return purchases because you feel guilty, only to find that this guilt causes you to go on another shopping spree?

Impaired relationships. Have you lost touch with friends or family because you spend all your time shopping, use lies to cover up your debt, or generally isolate yourself others?

If you can answer “yes” to any of the above questions, seek help now. Shoeboxed.com is here to get your life back on track. Shoeboxed automatically organizes your online expenses in an easy-to-read format. It keeps you accountable, it keeps you organized, and it helps you confront your shopping addiction.

Leave a comment and tell your story, and let shoeboxed help you today!

According to a study completed within the last year, purchases made by women accounted for more than eighty-five percent of all consumer expenditures. Yes, it’s hard to believe, but women shop more than men. But the real question is why? The answer may surprise you.

Research conducted by Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™ confirmed that women spend more time than men shopping each month. Females who responded to the survey admitted to spending an average 100 minutes a month shopping for apparel, while males claimed they spent an average 60 minutes doing the same. Shopping psychologists have often suggested that although many men enjoy shopping, most do not want to be perceived as caring about their wardrobe—and therefore spend less time at the mall.

But this theory may not be entirely valid. Although women were proven to shop more often than men, they also shopped more times in a given month. Men were likely to shop an average 1.4 times a month and women made 2.3 trips per month. What does this mean? Both sexes spend about forty minutes per shopping trip.

Still, psychologists assert that shopping is a great “stress buster” for women. According to the survey, female respondents often get some sort of thrill or excitement from buying. More than fifty percent said they “like” or “love” shopping. Whether going to the mall with friends on the weekend or doing family shopping during the holiday season, one thing’s for sure—men may enjoy buying, but women love shopping.

A new epidemic has hit America. While most scientists refer to it as oniomania, this condition is more commonly know as compulsive shopping, compulsive buying, or compulsive spending. Our society is constantly bombards by TV commercials, magazine advertisement, and online banner ads that persuade us to spend money—usually on purchases that we don’t need. And it’s having a significant effect on the nation’s population.

Shopping addiction is a very real problem, with an estimated ten percent of the American population making compulsive purchases or overspending. However, there is still question as to whether or not excessive buying is a true disease. It’s unclear if people can have a real addiction to shopping, or if their behavior stems from an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). What is known is that many excessive shoppers are multi addicted and may abuse alcohol or prescription medication in addition to buying compulsively.

So what do you do if you’re stuck in a rut? Do you think you might have a problem, but don’t know how to stop? Here are a few quick tips to help you manage your addiction to shopping:

First and foremost, find a friend and tell them how you feel. Let them know that you think you may have a shopping addiction. Don’t feel embarrassed or guilty, and try to talk openly about your spending habits and emotions.

Have a list of exactly what you need. Every time you go to the store, make a list of exactly what you need. If it’s not on the list when you get there, you can’t buy it. Even if you forget something that you really need, you’ll have to wait until next time to buy it.

Go shopping with friends. Don’t let yourself shop alone. Surround yourself with supportive friends who won’t let you relapse.

Don’t fall for the good deals. Deals are only great if you really need an item. If it’s not on the list, you don’t need it, and if you don’t need it, it’s not a good deal.

And most importantly, be honest with yourself about how much you are spending. You need to keep a close record of everything you are buying and make sure that you are only spending money on things you need. It’s really simple—only buy what you can afford.

Shoeboxed.com is committed to helping compulsive shoppers automatically and effectively manage their purchases. If you feel like your spending is out of control, click here. You can give us your email address, and we’ll let you know as soon as this innovative service is available. You deserve to be in control of your own life, and shoeboxed is here to help.