Is being a shopaholic truly an addiction? Or is it just an excuse for excess? 

“Do you love shopping?” “Of course!” This is the normal expected answer when a woman is asked this question.

Purchasing items for necessities is normal, but when people habitually collect unnecessary things to pass time, it's more than serious. Shopping can become an addiction and many people regularly jeopardize their lives by shopping themselves broke. Being a shopaholic is not restricted to any gender, race or nationality. This is a very dangerous and universal problem, and in order to control this addictive behaviour it is necessary to spot it at the right time.

Let's take a look at the top 10 most common signs of shopping symptoms and some tips to cure this addiction.

Read on and ask yourself ‘Am I a shopaholic?’

#1: Does your house have many unopened items?

#2: Is every decision in your life about the money?
#3: On a scale of 1-10, how passionate are you about shopping?
#4: Does excessive spending leave you feeling ashamed?
#5: Do you feel that you can control your shopping habit?
#6: Do you always buy unnecessary things?
#7: Are you at your happiest when you buy new things?
#8: Could you afford the last three things you bought?
#9: Do you compulsively buy the same thing again and again?
#10: Do you feel compelled to buy something (anything) every time you visit a store?

Now that you know what your answers to our questions about shopaholic habits are, what do you think? Are you a shopaholic? If yes, don’t worry. Here are six financial tips you can implement today that will help you conquer your inner shopaholic and give you more financial peace of mind:

1. Don't budget. PERK instead. Budgets work, but nobody likes them because they are hard to create and even harder to stick to. Fortunately, there's a quick and easy solution that I developed called PERK that takes about 15 minutes and can save you $250 to $1,000+ a month. First, list all of your expenses -- everything. Then, next to each expense write a P, E, R or K. For those expenses you can "Postpone" put a P. For those expenses you can "Eliminate" put an E. For those expenses you can "Reduce" put an R. For those expenses you must "Keep" put a K. Don't let the simplicity throw you. It's easy but incredibly effective.

2. Stop leaking money. We spend money on stuff that we don't need or even realize. Things like cable channels we don't watch, subscriptions we don't read and organizations we don't care about. Take a closer look at where your money is going by using a free online program such as Mint.com to track expenses easily. Cancel all expenses you don't use or don't need.

3. Create a buying buffer zone. The goal is to create a buying buffer zone of at least 30 days between the moment you want to buy something (usually in the heat of the moment at the store) and when you actually buy it. If you force yourself to wait 30 days, you'll find that most of the time you won't want it anymore. If you still do, it means you really do want it. So instead of whipping out your credit card, whip out your camera. Take a photo of whatever you want to buy and post it on your "buyer board." Write the date, the amount, and a short reason why you want it and how it will improve your life. After waiting the 30 days, see if you still can't live without it.

4. Get real. Fill in the blank: "The three most important things in my life are _______, _______ and _______." Usually, "stuff" doesn't make the list. It's important to get clear and conscious about what you value. Print this list, or even better, find photos that represent the three things you value (e.g., photo of the kids) and put these photos in your wallet/purse. To make sure you look at them, put them in front of your credit cards.

5. Volunteer. Get the focus off yourself, what you want and what new thing you just can't live without, and onto others who are in real need. This is great therapy, and it doesn't cost you a dime.

6. Boost your income. One of my irritations with traditional financial planning is the near-exclusive focus on cutting expenses. You need to live within your means, but let's not forget about the other side of the equation -- income! Use the other eight hours to create -- write a book, invent, start a side business, etc.

Changing your finances (and life!) starts by changing your mindset and behavior. Buy into the belief that you can improve your finances -- just be careful what else you buy. ...

(Tips credit: Robert Pagliarini. He is the author of "The Other 8 Hours: Maximize Your Free Time to Create New Wealth & Purpose" and the national best-seller "The Six Day Financial Makeover.")