Mum is Addicted to Fashion Catalogs | Spendaholics | Only Human 

Kids today will never know the excitement of getting the Autumn/Winter catalogues and methodically noting down all the catalog numbers of your favourite toys for Father Christmas.

She is amazing! To be able to be confronted on camera and respond with grace and dignity AND make such significant changes demonstrates strong character. Well done! She inspired me!

They're talking like organic eggs and Tesco finest pizzas are what's breaking the bank, not the Chanel and Clarins make-up and Jo Malone perfume...

Every time i hear 'yummy mummy" i die a little inside

I think she's just really really bored

her house was quite minimalistic and not cluttered. very nice.

I used to work in a department store and it was shocking to see designer clothes for toddlers who would grow out of them in a few months. I couldn't believe people threw away money like that. Second-hand stores are a God-send for kids' clothes. You can find good stuff inexpensively and donate it again when the kids grow out of it.

Why doesn't she start working again, she could easily do it with her youngest 2 years old? She is just bored, I know exactly how she feels, boredom makes you shop, eat, drink even. I don't think it's her family history at all...

This episode showed that it's not the 2000s fashion that made ppl look ridiculous, but a lack of taste. Lorraine doesn't look tacky or weird at all.

What kind of a psychologist is he? She can’t answer a single one of his questions without him talking over her. Sounds like a great practice! Ask a patient to open up and when they do, cut them off and talk over them. May as well have just handed her a script to follow.

I mean it might be 'cause I'm Italian... but spending on good food is probably the only thing they can't complain about. She does well in feeding her familiy and herself the best she can find. Good food and artisan made shoes, that's what my nana taught me ahah :D

She needs a job, not a therapist

Lol that therapist keeps thinking everything means something psychologically deep . Even groceries in the fridge 😂

The fact that Benjamin was prepared to give him his "analysis" without listening to what she had to say is extremely unprofessional to me. He had it all figured out and implanted his thoughts into hers. EEK.

I was thrilled that in this episode Jay suggested home sewing as a way of saving money and moving forward. I have often wodered why the suggestion has not been made to many of the shopaholics, as it is rewarding and is a way that enables home sewers to wear unique clothes for a fraction of the price of shop bought rubbish

If they got rid of the "I have already decided what your issue is, now shut up and listen I am amazing" therapist from this show it would be much better

She's under fulfilled and unfortunately going from a high paying job to a stay at home mum is a big change so she spends just like she did when she worked. She needs a new job/hobby and something else to do. If I was her hubby I'd limit the budget. It would be a whole lot worse if internet shopping was available back then I'm sure. Hope she sorted herself out

Well done, I say. They less you spend , the more time you get to enjoy what you have. The happier you are with yourself the less consumed you are with spending. Hats off to this woman who recognised her spending problem. You’re only making rich people richer by spending on “stuff” you don’t really need.

does the 'therapist' stop interrupting or overtalking?

Him interrupting her is actually driving me crazy

That guy therapist sees meaning in every little thing...'there's a little spider web in the corner of the sealing'..must mean that Lorainne has chosen to hide her feelings somewhere out of reach but is there for all to see which acts as an outcry for help. What a load of crock

I really admire Lorraine in the episode, she really turned not only her spending around but her life. She is my hero and I wish her the best for the rest of her life. Great show and really inspiring in general. Thank you.

She should just go back to work, she's clearly bored

I love the idea of making her own clothing. It's actually amazing that so many people don't know how to sew anymore, or do many basic skills on their own.

She’s obviously trying to fill a void that’s missing in her life. Hope she gets the help she needs.

The therapist annoys me when he talks over clients. That is unprofessional.

She’s most probably as said had a good job & had her own money & bought what she wanted..............I think she needs time, support & maybe another job? Part time or full time. She’s bored. And a therapist is supposed to listen but unfortunately I think Benjamin likes the sound of his own voice!

I think just having to hang around with Benjamin so much would make her give in and spend less. It's a kind of torture.

Why so many comments about her appearance tho? It's a show about someone who's addicted to shopping nothing to do about being good looking or not. Which she is a pretty lady anyway. After poor Caroline flack death didn't take too long before people were back to being nasty about people. She didn't ask anyone's opinions on if rather they find her attractive or not that has nothing to do with the show... #bekind

Loraine could have channeled her creativity into helping fund raise for the local PTA at her sons school or church or any charity that speaks to her. She needs to be validated by something other than shopping

This is so inspiring and heartwarming. I loved seeing her journey and the insights she gained and newfound interests and passions. It was watching her find herself again. And the couples session was just beautiful, to see them both so invested in wanting to be a team and figure out how to work together. Such a lovely woman and family!

Lorraine really threw herself into it and did brilliantly! I hope she's doing well and out of debt now!

She’s so far ahead of the curve now. Had she spent years seeing a Clinical Psychologist she’d have been in much deeper debt. Good for her!

Well done you. What a difference. I know where you were coming from. I learned over the years that it gives me much more peace of mind to know I don’t buy what I can’t afford. You should be so proud of yourself, I can see you going forward and enjoying your life more doing things for you. Xx

I love her personality, so calm.

I've had this, not with catalogues but with online shopping, and the scary thing its so easy, you can see something and buy it in less than 1 minute...Being at home all day with small kids can easily get on top of you, it did me, and it used to feel so relaxing to browse shops like Next or amazon, like I had shut my problems out for a while.. Now Ive gone towards minimalism and try not to go online browsing as I don't trust myself to not fall back into these habits, and I try to curate what clothes or things I honestly really want and not browse aimlessly...There are lots of tips and tricks to make shopping more intentional...At the end of the day its another way to evade reality and disconnect, its addiction, and should be treated as such.

The therapist kept interrupting her, which really annoyed me. A real therapist would LISTEN!

This therapist is so rude. He cuts her off over and over to try to make some observation. Also the home inspection is so silly. They found almost nothing and still made a bunch of unfounded assumptions.

LOL catalogue , 2000s . Modern day Internet shopping

I really like the part where she said, "I need to buy just the things I really want. ... I wouldn't be sitting here if I wasn't going to give it a go,but I think it'll be really tough." Exactlty! I'm always so proud or peoples change and willingness to try in this show.

Its ok, bald-headed blabbering Benjamin makes me cry too

Brilliant therapist; one conversation and bam, the truth leaps out. Wonderful. 💕

The lady host has great hair for so many years ago lol

I understand all too well the catastrophic effect of so much grief. It can manifest in many destructive ways, that you often don't realise until you're too far in. This is a very moving programme, I hope Lorraine is living more happily now.

This was very interesting, well presented and showed useful strategies for tackling Lorraine's spending problem. In fact I'm going to give this some thought and implement one or two ideas for my own shopping habit. I like Ben's quiet, calm and thoughtful approach. I hope all of the family are doing well.

It was an excellent idea to get her sewing for her daughter. And maybe even herself. She enjoys it to boot.

Only catalogue I was addicted to was the Argos catalogues, especially the christmas ones, where you would sit and go through it and circle everything you wanted 😂😂

Masha Kalinkina I dont like the way theyre dumping on her. Watching 3 kids as a career woman, which clearly fulfilled her. Kids are wonderful but its different producing your own money versus caring for 3 kids. Dad at least still has work & thats confidence-building & fulfilling. Mom should go back to work Asap. I just am cringing at how dad & the show is portraying her. This is not rocket science. I hate this bs rhetoric of only money mattering & then pressuring women to do all of the domestic work & that men make the money & women spend it. I dont think her partner is a jerk & really kind of gets it, but he could speak more kindly & support her being fulfilled/going back to non domestic work. Having her earn instead of making it like i make & she takes; thats gross, not nice, & not true. They're all kind of speaking to her condescendingly as if shes a child & not a grown woman. Shes buying good food for fucks sake. Not exactly heroin.

Kind of love how these programmes are also a blast to the past. I was in highschool when this aired, and I remember the clothing magazines and ordering via the numbers of the items on the website after circling the items in the catalogs. It was a little different. Now everything is online, including catalogs.

I think this is the first time they had a very hard time finding what the person in question is spending their money on. In all fairness she had a fridge/freezer full of food. He needs to let her talk . He is telling her how she feels, instead of just listening to how she feels.

They should do a follow up show to this series. I know it was a long time ago. But It would be interesting to know if this show helped them, when the cameras stopped rolling.

She needs a hobby she is interested in

All this healthy output and input, it's as though it makes sense. I've only seen a couple of these, but this one was extremely insightful. I've never shared an account or had money issues in my relationship (we budget for future plans), but her having that as an outlet and it not fulfilling her, I get that. Nice episode.

Watching these one after another and realizing I have no concept of modern clothing. I'm still wearing Lee Riders I bought in 2001.

One of the better ones I’ve watched. I think they had decided as a couple before children, she would be a stay at home mama. The solutions were terrific

Kids are playing up.... "I deserve a Jo Malone candle"

Mean while. Me at Value Village being amazed at the prices.

I had that same habit but I wanted a better house one day and knew I had to quit it cold turkey. I started taking the catalogs and filling out the order form which is where I got the thrill, it was not the ordering or the having of the thing itself. I toss the catalog away right then and put the order form in my little bill holder billfold. Later I see the nonsense and toss it out. If it's the arrival of the package that's the thrill that won't help. It cured me and when I moved all my stupid stuff to the better house, I regretted 90% of it and I've not sinned again. I also had to donate a lot of it. Some of which I had paid off not long before. I've been clean 6 years now.

If she loves organic food..get her to grow her own..fill some time up.. endorphins going etc..but these so called expert's just swop one shopping experience for another..

Think its very selfish when her husband is struggling to pay all these bills. I have always been careful with money you cut your coat according to your cloth!

Benjamin needs to let Loraine speak more he kept talking over her and telling her what she was feeling before she’d finished as though he’s already decided what the issue is 🙄

Is this how people bought things before the Internet?

I hate the therapist!! Every one I've watched he interrupts, forces his views and opinions, I think he's bullcrap!

The Psychological Coach is providing her w/ great therapeutic intervention but he keeps talking over her w/out letting her finish her sentences which is problematic...She is very emotional and he at least gave her a moment to process everything which was important.

OMG, catalogues lol. How many trees were felled for those back in the day? Every home would have about 5 or 6 knocking around. We used to get so excited when the new season one arrived 😉

Jesus let her finish a thought. Over talking her is horrible

Legit convinced Benjamin is a serial killer. He’s so deadpan and creepy. Kinda oozes Hannibal without the charisma 😂

i always encourage people who buy a lot of organic produce to try to grow some of their own. i say this not having a square inch of land to my name. everything i grow is either in pots / containers or in a large raised bed my dad made for me out of repurposed wood (lined); i use lots of creative trellis techniques including shaping "chicken wire," using tape and string and various dowels or branches i find. i cannot grow EVERYTHING (obviously fruit trees are out for now), especially because i live in a hard 4-season climate, but you would really be surprised what you can grow even in cooler parts of the world. i did 2 successions of cucumbers and i swear at this point i must have gotten 70 cucumbers ... and they're still coming! i have done green beans, peas, edamame, carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, cucumbers, kale, swiss and rainbow chard, scallions, watermelon (which i actually grew on a large dog kennel!), black beans, and now pumpkins, acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash. that sounds like it would require a ton of space but my balcony is just about 4-5' wide and about 11' long. if you are creative about how you use space and pots / containers and vertical trellising, you can really grow a lot! and this has been my "experimentation year!" i also grow lettuce and tomatoes year-round indoors hydroponically. the indoor lettuce is extremely prolific and i can honestly say eating salads several times a week i have not had to buy lettuce from a store since february. on top of all of that, it would be a great activity to get kids involved in as well - it is not only fun but extremely educational both as a tool for them to have when they grow up but also to realize how much work and resources are really involved in getting the food that we all buy in the supermarket and usually don't think twice about! i am going to try out overwintering garlic and i am seriously considering investing in some small fruit trees that would do well in a sunny part of my apartment. but just the amount of $$ i have saved on lettuce alone ... if i just did my math correctly i have saved over $250 just on lettuce (and tomatoes and cucumbers to go in my salads - prices not included!) in those 8ish months! that's a lot of $$! as a short ending to yet another horrendously long comment, i will just say that although growing your own food is wonderful and i think something all of us should do to the greatest extent that we can, we should also be supporting local farmers like the one featured in this video! and 10000% homegrown organic non-gmo and/or heirloom produce is SO MUCH BETTER TASTING than even their organic supermarket counterparts!

She's going to run out screaming unless she goes to work and has her own money to contribute and make decisions. Her husband needs to remember when she was working and contributing to their joint expenses.

She should know better since she worked in advertising lollll 🤣 my partner is in advertising and it’s the reason we hold on to our money. She should grow her own food that’s what I do. And £17 for riding horses wow it’s $100 an hour here and considered a luxury.

I wonder why she shows so much love, attention and affection for the daughter but not the son...

Why can't people figure out themselves that they're trying to fill a hole or cover something from the past by spending way too much. That amazes me.

Absolutely loved this video. Very inspiring.

Gosh at 7.54 she is wearing a silk top with beading that I also has ordered from the La Redoute catalogue of the time!

A lot of nasty comments very judgemental people ... are you all perfect??

I have to draw the line at the lady "therapist" who knocked the lady for buying organic veggies & fruits. Buying pricey cuts of meat and pre-prepared meals is one thing, but organic produce shouldn't be a negative, imo.

I just don't get bottled water. It's cheaper out of a tap. 👍🏼☺️

also - why is it so difficult to tell people - tell the hubby - cut up the cards, close the accts - and go back on ' cash only' buying ! ..so when the cash is gone, the spending STOPS

Sounds to me like she just needs a hobby to take up her time, she is bored so she sits there with a catalogue buying things to stave off the boredom.

Poor bloke working all the hours under the sun for what? Material stuff for his wife, I feel so bad for him.

Omg how is it hard to feed a family lol?! I shop at Aldi and meal plan. We eat really well tbh. It doesn't have to be hard.

Why behind all shopoholics has to be trauma? Seriously sometimes people are just bored,she left good job for stay at home mum , but she didn't do transition, she shopped like before, maybe even more with time on her hands..Her husband is equally responsible for allowing it...People are spoiled living over the means...Why she doesn't go to work,even part time when husband is at home Saturday or sundays would give her to be tired from work appreciated more the money,she would have break from all the times at home..Where is the little girl, when she shop? The therapist is useless,every person in this planet has some trauma in some stage in life, and to blame irrational behaviour on it is just ignorant!!! I wish this spoiled people go into developing countries, where all family has to live on €400 a month, and pay all bills, eat and get clothes ...They would starve,but half countries in Eeastend block live like this for years,and manage it..So what is wrong here?..

The psychologist became the most animated when he finally made the poor woman cry in his mock up counselling session. You can quite literally see the smile on his face and in his eyes when she cries. Apart from that hes a complete dullard

If she's a housewife, how come, in all those shots of her shopping, there is no disgruntled two year old in tow? Where's the kid? And if the kid goes to daycare, then guess what, it's time mom went back to work.

She's self-medicating.

wish i had a budget of 80 quid for food, some people arnt that lucky!

Watching these documentary makes me think about my spending , even i dont spend alot

She needs a job, a social life and a makeover to boost her confidence, not a fake therapist. That man has not been properly trained and is not a therapist!

Narrator: Stocking up on fruit and veg costs 90£ a week. The music: AAAAAAAAEEEEAAAAAÆEEEEEEUUUUUGHHHHH

I have watched a few of these, but this is the most inspirational for me. And what a super woman!

It's interesting to watch documentaries that are set in different countries (I'm from the U.S.)

brilliant vid!

Great message

I had something like this happen too where my basically stepdad disappeared and he has wanted to get back in touch but my heart cannot do it 💔. It is too painful, even though I know we are getting older and I do wonder if he died if I will regret not patching things up.

She obviously has a favourite child too. Which isn't going to cause problems later on down the line is it? That said she's clearly trying to relive the happy part of her childhood through her daughter. Again which will cause problems further down the line.

Dear god. The therapist is absolutely not letting her talk at all!

I look at this and it doesn’t compare to some of the student debt our American students are saddled with

at least this is one tasteful shopper.

This was broadcast in 2005 (see credits at 55:58). Wonder how each family member is doing now.

What I like about this show is there is not a truck load of excuses for why she does what she does. They don't label her with a heap of psychobabble sounding labels ( which translate into blaming everything/body else and making huge excuses.) Here they are compassionate and firm. The couch genuinely wants change for her and her family's sake and the guy really wants her to deal with her pain. He is compassionate, caring and gently firm. The program isn't about scoring great (woke) brownie points and sounding so professional that it actually is so clinical that it is totally irritating. It's not about the presentation sounding so clever but it's about genuine concern for the person they are trying to help. That was a big mouthful. I hope it makes sense.