How do I stop buying rubbish?

noodles86
noodles86 Posts: 549
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edited 7 July 2012 at 7:43PM in Debt-free wannabe
I'm a long time
Spreading a little Christmas joy all year round :santa2:
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  • lilac_lady
    lilac_lady Posts: 4,469 Forumite
    Spend cash only and if you've run out you won't be able to buy rubbish. Difficult at first but it makes you decide if it's a need or a want when you buy something.
    " The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

    Plato


  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,204
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    what i do is i have a few different accounts 1 for bills one for shopping and 1 for spending - when i get paid (Monthly - or weekley if you like) i put the money into each accout so allthe DD's come out of the bill one - i make a shopping list and go food shopping with the other one and the spending one is for stuff i want/need/see on special offer etc - i divide it by the number of weeks till next pay day so i know how much i have a week - id also cut up your CC as if you dont have it you cant spend on it.
    Living the simple life
  • sandieb
    sandieb Posts: 728 Forumite
    Write out your menus in advance for a week or month and buy only what you need.

    Keep a diary and write down EVERYTHING you buy for a week, month or year!

    That hopefully will keep your mind focused on what you NEED.

    Hope this helps!
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    Put yourself in the position of a single person on JSA with no children. After household bills you'd have £20/week tops to feed yourself and buy things, so say £10/week food and £10/week for everything else.

    If you spend more than £10/week on clothes, makeup, drinks with friends, posh coffees, pizza .... tell yourself you're robbing your kid of the benefits money provided for them.
  • noodles86
    noodles86 Posts: 549
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    I have been toying with the idea of cutting up the card for quite a while, the only thing that has held me back is that what if there's an emergency and I need cash although (and i'm trying to be as honest as possible!) Im sure if there was an emergency then I could borrow some money off family members. And just incase anyone is curious! The last emergency was in 2008 when I moved into a council flat with no carpets and dd was crawling, so was a 600 pounds necessity rather than a want, so I think I should just shut up and go cut!
    Spreading a little Christmas joy all year round :santa2:
  • noodles86
    noodles86 Posts: 549
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    Put yourself in the position of a single person on JSA with no children. After household bills you'd have £20/week tops to feed yourself and buy things, so say £10/week food and £10/week for everything else.

    If you spend more than £10/week on clothes, makeup, drinks with friends, posh coffees, pizza .... tell yourself you're robbing your kid of the benefits money provided for them.

    Thanks, I've never really seen it like that, silly really, as it's an overdraft but it's also not even my money, it's the banks!
    Spreading a little Christmas joy all year round :santa2:
  • katsu
    katsu Posts: 4,945
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    You could put the card in a plastic bag then put it in a sandwich tub full of water and then put it in the freezer. In an emergency you could thaw it out with a hairdryer but you could hardly plonk a block of ice down on a shop counter for casual spending :rotfl:
    Debt at highest: £8k. Debt Free 31/12/2009. Original MFD May 2036, MF Dec 2018.
  • sandieb
    sandieb Posts: 728 Forumite
    katsu wrote: »
    You could put the card in a plastic bag then put it in a sandwich tub full of water and then put it in the freezer. In an emergency you could thaw it out with a hairdryer but you could hardly plonk a block of ice down on a shop counter for casual spending :rotfl:

    Unless you are shopping in Iceland:)
  • Try waiting overnight to see if you really want something. Sometimes you look at it in the cold light of day and realise you don't really want/need it.
    Knock the takeaways on the head - get to the library, choose a pile of cookery books ~ the OS board has loads of tips too. Invite friends to yours and make the pizza's.
    Wonder around your local veg market - much better value, and buy some fresh veggies.
    Buying some rubbish is par for the course, everyone does; stop beating yourself up.
  • Tink_04
    Tink_04 Posts: 1,204
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    i know the awful feeling of what if there is an emergancy how would we manager etc - but if you cut the card up (or freeze it) you can always use it again if you REALLY need to as you could call the card company say you lost it and get a new one through the post so if it was not essential you would be able to get it - i had to cut mine as i was still using it for petrol saying that was an emergancy when infasct it was just my poor budgeting skills - suppose it depends how strong you are. Good luck x
    Living the simple life
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