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The Great 'Tricks to stop yourself spending' Hunt Revisited

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Former_MSE_Debs
Former_MSE_Debs Posts: 890 Forumite
edited 12 March 2014 at 8:38PM in Debt-free wannabe
The Great 'Tricks to stop yourself spending' Hunt Revisited

Whether you're in debt or trying to avoid it, learning to spend within your budget is an important life lesson. We want to tap MoneySavers' collective wisdom on controlling your spending. When there's something you want but can't afford, how do you keep the urge at bay?

Click reply below to share your tips. If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply. If you aren’t sure how it all works, watch our New to Forum? Intro Guide..

View all past Great Hunts and check out our Demotivator to see where you could cut down.

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  • good_advice
    good_advice Posts: 2,653 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee! Rampant Recycler
    Look for voucher codes and coupons before ordering anything online, then go through a cash back site.

    If you will be out all day work/holiday take food and a drink with you.
    The secret to success is making very small, yet constant changes.:)
  • 3shirts
    3shirts Posts: 19 Forumite
    Don't buy things on credit. Save up, old school, until you can afford it. It's cheaper and often by the time you have the money you change your mind. Takes away the impulse
  • lizziebell*80
    lizziebell*80 Posts: 1,210 Forumite
    Cashback Cashier
    I've gone from a 25k job to staying at home with the kids and finding adjusting to just my husband's smaller salary difficult regarding this exact thing. Find that I have to stop myself A LOT from buying deals as I used to use credit card (0%) as had money coming in to pay it off.
    We are heading down the saving up for it/only buy if we have the cash route. I basically have to weigh up if I really need something when I see a good deal and mostly talk myself out of it :/
  • kjp
    kjp Posts: 428 Forumite
    100 Posts
    My weakness is popping into the shops on my way home from work, or the vending machine in work. After leaving my purse at home, the temptation is still there, but I can't do anything about it!
    House Fund: £2,800/£20,000 - 14%
  • Ken68
    Ken68 Posts: 6,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Energy Saving Champion Home Insurance Hacker!
    As I get older, LESS becomes MORE.
  • quantic
    quantic Posts: 1,024 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I try not to carry cash on me, I use my card for everything instead, I tend to find that if I have cash on me I will find ways to spend it, like the vending machine at work etc.

    Also, I try to wait until at least half way through the month before I make any major purchases, rather than on payday. I quite often find I don't even want the thing anymore.

    Weirdly, I find that I am less impulsive if I shop online as I don't have any pressure from sales assistants etc and can take my time deciding if I want whatever it is I'm looking at.

    I think the major thing though, is trying to get a sense of satisfaction/fulfillment from other experiences in life, rather than from things. When I started out on my debt free journey I really struggled to stop myself from buying things but now that I am debt free and have plenty disposable income I don't feel inclined to waste it. I think the majority of the stuff I was buying was just a slightly better version of something I already had.
  • yorpington
    yorpington Posts: 252 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary Debt-free and Proud!
    Using an app on my phone which splits my money into envelopes. I do actually use physical envelopes as well for cash, but the app splits the money left in my account down so I can see what it's for. I'm less likely to buy something if I check the app first and that particular envelope is looking a little slender!
  • quantic
    quantic Posts: 1,024 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    yorpington wrote: »
    Using an app on my phone which splits my money into envelopes. I do actually use physical envelopes as well for cash, but the app splits the money left in my account down so I can see what it's for. I'm less likely to buy something if I check the app first and that particular envelope is looking a little slender!

    Which app is this if you don't mind me asking?
  • yorpington
    yorpington Posts: 252 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary Debt-free and Proud!
    quantic wrote: »
    Which app is this if you don't mind me asking?

    I use Goodbudget! Takes a few minutes to set up but works for me.
  • I find that spending only cash works for me.

    I take out of the bank the cash for a week on Monday morning. Sometimes £75, sometimes £100. I spend as I go along, but at the end of every day, any loose change in my pockets goes into jars for £, 50p, 20p and bits & pieces. I NEVER spend loose change. Each month, I normally have about £50 to £60 to go into the savings account.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
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