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If you've taken part in some 'retail therapy' during the pandemic here in Minnesota, you're not alone.

The pandemic has impacted just about every area of our lives over the past year, hasn't it? And while there finally appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel here in late April of 2021, we've endured over a year of having to deal with the coronavirus here in Minnesota.

And one of the ways we've been doing that is to take our frustrations out on our credit cards... and do some serious shopping. That's the word, anyway, from the crew over at the American Addiction Centers at Rehabs.com, who surveyed over 3,000 Google users during March of this year.

Their survey then categorized each of the respondents geographically to come up with the percentage of people who say they 'emotionally spend' in each state. And here in Minnesota, 59 percent of us say we've been emotional spenders while the pandemic has been raging here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Emotional spending is a little less in my home state of Wisconsin, coming in at only 53 percent. Down in Iowa, it's a little higher, at 57 percent, but still less than our rate of 59 percent here in the North Star State.

Interestingly, though, the survey never really defines exactly what 'emotional spending' is. Does it mean you're an emotional spender if you buy something when you're nearly in tears or really emotional?

My guess is that 'emotional spending' is spending money for something you wouldn't normally buy to make yourself feel better. In fact, furthering that definition, the survey found that 21 percent of respondents across the country say they shop online when stressed in an attempt to make themselves feel better.

So what are we buying when we're doing all that emotional spending? Well, some of that spending has no doubt been on a drink or two, because the survey also noted that 33 percent of us say we've bought high-end alcohol as a personal treat during the pandemic. (I know I've done that!) And, understandably, 10 percent of the respondents said they've done some online shopping while drunk. (I haven't done that, fortunately!)

Have YOU done any emotional spending this past year? While many of us probably have, we haven't been able to at the following stores-- because they've all gone out of business. Keep scrolling to see some old favorites that aren't around anymore!

Listen to Curt St. John mornings from 6 to 10 on Quick Country 96.5
and afternoons from 2 to 6 on 103.9 The Doc

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