The Way We Shop Now

Hillary Kaye, 51, Somerset, New Jersey, Registered Nurse

Making up for lost time: "I live to shop. When I was growing up with four siblings, there wasn't a lot of money for clothes. Now that I can afford what I like, I go for it. Sometimes I get upset because I want the latest bags and shoes, but the prices for luxury brands keep going higher and higher. I like to have what's new; the problem is there's always something new."

Overspending: "Ten years ago, I was $13,000 in debt. I used to hide new purchases in the dryer because I knew my husband would never look in there. Eventually, he took away my credit cards, but I would tell store cashiers I'd accidentally left mine at home, and they would look up my account number. My husband helped bail me out, and I've become a lot more responsible: I put aside $100 every week for the things I want to buy."