How to Sustain Your Fashion Addiction

         I have been asked by many people how I support my insane shopping habit.  Coworkers have asked if I'm independently wealthy or if I have a sugar daddy.  The answer to both is "I wish, but sadly NO!" Others are fascinated to learn that I have not been evicted from my apartment for failure to pay rent or that I'm not drowning in debt.  Now I understand why people would assume such things, but to everyone's surprise I really am just a savvy shopaholic.  Being an expert shopper is a full time job.  Shopping may not be as lucrative as a paid job since I'm spending income rather than earning it, but somehow I find it way more fulfilling.
        The trick to being a savvy shopper is to be an educated consumer who is always in the know.  I know this may seem a bit daunting to the average person, but for me it just comes naturally.  The more I shop, the more must-have merchandise I see in stores and the more I learn about sales and promotions. I have bought and returned the same item three times in a week just to wind up paying the least amount possible for said item.  For instance, when Banana Republic had only one black lace Monogram dress in my size I bought it for full price, knowing that in two days when they had their 40% off Wednesdays promotion I was going to return and re-buy it for cheaper.  After buying it for the second time there was a "Friends and Family" promotion for 50%.  You better believe I went to the store for the third day in a row to return and re-buy that dress at 50% off.  To further enhance my savings I used my Banana store card to earn rewards points that could be applied to future purchases.  The more I shop, the more rewards I earn! Heck I even get rewarded by my favorite designers and department stores with $100, $200, and $500 gift cards out of the blue for my loyalty and business! Although I exhaust my friends just telling them about my marathon shopping excursions the experiences are exhilarating to me.    
       As one would imagine I am fairly well known at every Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Banana and Louis Vuitton in the tri-state area.  I'm even well known at the Tampa International Mall in Tampa, Florida which I visit twice a year while on vacation. (Yes I even shop on vacation!).  In fact I'm such a loyal customer that sales associates have my cell on speed dial.  Every time there is a new item in store or a sale going on they call me, thereby keeping me in the know.  My phone has more store contacts in it than actual friends or family members.  I'm even on a first name basis with the sales associates in the stores I frequent the most.  They welcome me with the warmest of greetings every time I walk through the door.  Probably because they see dollar signs as I'm coming, but I know no ordinary shopper gets that treatment!
        So to answer the never ending question "How do you shop the way you do and still afford to live?" I'm just dedicated to my craft.  I may have to visit a store more times in a week than the average person does in 6 months, but it's all worth it to me!