When Susie* feels sad, she spends money. “It was particularly bad in my early twenties,” the 46-year-old recalls. “[Once], my boyfriend hadn’t replied to me for a few days, so I went to the local high street and spent hundreds of pounds on clothes.” Another splurge came because she felt insecure about a new friendship. “I wanted her to like me so I bought her a leather coat for £100.” The biggest purchase, though, came after a particularly low few days while her parents were away. “I went out one day, decided my Citroen Saxo car wasn’t good enough, and came home with a shiny new Ford Focus.”
This behaviour is more common than you’d think. And as we approach Black Friday, the world’s biggest shopping event of the year, and brands slash their prices across the board in a bid to up your spending, it’s likely that more than one of us will make an impulsive purchase.
