Women Drop More Cash After A Breakup

What do you do when you're sad? Wallow and listen to mournful pop-punk ballads? Drown your sorrows in booze? Indulge in retail therapy, which is scientifically proven to boost your mood? New research has found that women spend more post-breakup because the only way to get over someone is to get into that really sexy new LBD you got on sale.

The study was commissioned by cashback site Quidco.com and looked at the spending habits of 2,000 women. Researchers found that "on a post-split shopping trip, women spend an average $72 on new clothes, shoes or accessories — more than when they’re shopping to cheer themselves up for other reasons."

I'm not surprised at the increased spending in times of sorrow, but I am a bit surprised that post-breakup retail therapy is different than average retail therapy. Andy Oldham of Quidco told the Daily Mail: "'For some, there is no better feeling than handing over your card at the checkout, or clicking buy online. It can really help to improve your mood"

"No better feeling" is a bit of a stretch. As much as I love to shop, there are way better feelings than forking over my hard-earned cash — being with someone I care about, for one. But post-breakup, when you can't be with someone you care about, is a perfect time to get that mood boost in the checkout line. Here's how the numbers compare to using retail therapy for non-breakup related reasons:

Women shopping directly after they have been paid spend an average of $66, an average of $47 while shopping when bored, and $44 after getting into an argument or fight. Women who shop after a bad day at work, meanwhile, spend an average of $42, according to the study.

If shopping is your breakup panacea of choice, go ahead and purchase those killer high heels guilt-free. Just don't spend too much.