On a budget? Watch your spending in your premenstrual week

My Hormonology

On a budget? Watch your spending in your premenstrual week

I’ve been on a serious spending clampdown while I get these new Hormonology apps created. To me, they’re worth every penny. But, darn, they require a lot of pennies!

Yet, as I hit my premenstrual week, I’ve found myself taking mini-breaks to visit websites looking for spring dresses. And, I’m not even perusing the stores with the best sales. I’m actually looking at retailers that have triple-digit price tags for a single frock–something I normally never do.

Then, it hit me. It’s just a premenstrual thing.

According to a 2011 study in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, women are more prone to splurging on luxury goods (like handbags, shoes, jewelry and expensive clothes) during our premenstrual phase as a way to cope with down moods caused by plunging estrogen.

Unfortunately, the same hormone drop can also trigger guilt and remorse over excessive spending. Which, of course, is a total buzzkill.

So, what can you do if, like me, you’re on a budget and are approaching your premenstrual week or are already in it–and you get the urge to splurge?

For me, simply realizing that it’s just dipping hormones that are trying to pry open my purse made it easy to avoid splashing out on pricey clothes I don’t need.

But, if you want to treat yourself–while sidestepping hormone-fueled guilt–there’s an easy compromise: Decide ahead of time on the amount of cash you’re willing to part with on indulgent purchases that won’t cause buyer’s remorse, then stick to spending only that amount.

This way, you get the mood boost from shopping without the negative repercussions of overspending!

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[Photo: Ken Teegardin]

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