One of the most tragic things about money is what a taboo subject it is. One of the best things a compulsive shopper can do is expose the problem to the light. In 2002, there were an estimated 60 million Americans addicted to shopping, according to a Stanford University study. We're a nation of overspenders. Think about the national deficit! We live in a culture in which families are fragmented, jobs are insecure and many people are searching for meaning in their lives. To fill the emptiness, we buy things. We live in a culture where the main form of entertainment is to go to the mall, and wait for the urge to shop to hit us. In our instant-gratification-addicted culture, nothing is worse than feeling, empty, bored, or lonely.

We also spend to make up for childhood deprivation or feelings of low self-worth, to celebrate when we’re feeling great or to cheer ourselves up when we’re depressed or listless.

How do you know if you’re a compulsive spender? Take the following quiz from "Overcoming Overspending: A Winning Plan for Spenders and Their Partners," by Olivia Mellan.

Respond with O for often, S for sometimes, R for rarely, or N for never. Try to be honest with yourself. You don’t have to share the results with anyone else.

1. Do you buy things you want, whether or not you can afford them at the moment?
O S R N

2. Do you have trouble saving money? If you have a little extra available to put in the bank (or to invest), do you tend to think of something you’d rather spend it on?
O S R N

3. Do you buy things to cheer yourself up or to reward yourself?
O S R N

4. Does more than a third of your income go to pay bills (not including rent or mortgage payments?
O S R N

5. Do you juggle bill-paying because you always seem to be living on the edge financially? For example, do you tend to pay only the minimum balance on your credit card(s)?
O S R N

6. Do you tend to keep buying more of your favorite things — clothes, CDs, books, computer software, electronic gadgets — even if you don’t have a specific need for them?
O S R N

7. If you have to say "No" to yourself, or put off buying something you really want, do you feel intensely deprived, angry, or upset?
O S R N

If you have four or more O's or S’s, you have overspending tendencies and a self help book may be all the help you need! If you answered O or S to question seven, you are most probably a compulsive spender and counseling would probably be a good idea. With a little help you could become a "recovering overspender" like so many of the rest of us.