Feeling guilty about that extra pair of shoes or that handbag you don't really need?

There could now be an excuse for women (like Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw) who love to shop – the time of the month.

New research shows that PMS could cause women to lose control in the shopping centre.The research, carried out by psychologists at Hertfordshire University, found that during the ten days before their period, women are less in control of their spending and shopping was essentially a way of dealing with that over-emotional time of the month.

The study of 443 women aged between 18 and 50, showed that two thirds of the women were more likely to buy on impulse during the later stages of their menstrual cycle. While 57 per cent admitted that they had overspent by more than £25, some 6 per cent had spent £250 more than they had intended.

Professor Karen Pine, who led the research, told the Daily Mail: "The later women were in their menstrual cycle, the more likely they were to have overspent.

"Spending was less controlled, more impulsive and more excessive for women in the luteal phase. The spending behaviour tends to be a reaction to intense emotions. They are feeling very stressed or depressed and more likely to go shopping to cheer themselves up and using it to regulate their emotions.

"It is also a socially sanctioned way to deal with emotional overload compared to turning to drink or drugs."

So there we have it – the next time your hubby complains about your spending habits, you could have the perfect excuse.

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