Help me break my ebay addiction

Takeover

I need to stop buying stuff on ebay! We have managed to reorganise our debts and are back on the straight and narrow. However, I keep spending our "extra" money on ebay purchases.

I originally signed up to sell stuff and I did but now I have nothing left to sell so have started buying stuff instead. The items I am buying are good bargains but they would be a better bargain if I didn't buy them in the first place. :think: but I love it knowing that the postie will be bringing me yet another parcel.

Anyone have tips on how to stop this obsession?

8pnoodles

Honestly, don't go on ebay in the first place. If you don't know it's there, you can't buy it!

My other half has this obsession. He's got no internet access for the moment and it's cut his spending right back.

If you're done selling, can you close your ebay and paypal accounts?

Find something else to do besides surf.

I'm matched betting (see the thread on this) and it keeps my internet obsession busy but makes me money instead of spending it.

I also go on pigsback.co.uk and various other websites to collect free points towards rewards.

I had a phase of going on the freebie sites and seeing what freebies I could order. I am still always getting lots through my mailbox and I don't have to pay a penny! See the freebie board on here for ideas.

Lastly, can you ebay the "bargain" items you've bought? Maybe by doing this it's stop you from spending on ebay if you're just going to have to sell them again. From what you've said they weren't necessities.

Peppa_Pig_5

Hi Takeover. I used to have the same obsession with selling stuff on Ebay. I was glued to it all the time, then I discovered this site and am addicted to this instead. Also I keep looking at the cashback sites such as topcashback and greasypalm. Better addiction than buying because at least you get money from them. Why not try those.

black-saturn

What I usually do is put the thing I want on watch for a few days. While it's on watch I think about it and deliberate over whether I really need it. Usually it disappears from my watch list a couple of days later and I don't bid.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Cancel your paypal account if you have one.
Agree with the other half of "we" you both have to agree any cheques or postal orders made out to ebay; this usually works as they almost always say "what do you want that for !! ".
If, and that's only if, you think you may have a tiny ebay addiction problem - and it's not uncommon apparently - read the stop smoking thread, lots of tips on how to distract oneself when the addiction fairy pays a visit.

edit: google ebay addiction - lots of information, tips and horror stories !

Takeover

My problem is that I work from home so I'm on the internet for most of the day - hence I end up on ebay.

Thanks for the ideas about alternative sites - that sounds like a good idea plus I'll try out the watch list idea as well.

Takeover

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

Cancel your paypal account if you have one.
Agree with the other half of "we" you both have to agree any cheques or postal orders made out to ebay; this usually works as they almost always say "what do you want that for !! ".
If, and that's only if, you think you may have a tiny ebay addiction problem - and it's not uncommon apparently - read the stop smoking thread, lots of tips on how to distract oneself when the addiction fairy pays a visit.

I'm considering asking the OH to change the password on paypal that way I have to go through him before buying - would cancel the account completely but having it is pretty handy when selling on ebay.

jellycat40

Hi takeover

I do the same as Black Saturn and find that placing the item on watch actually gives the same satisfaction as bidding. 9 times out of 10 I do not buy the item i was watching, i sort of go off the idea.

However occasionally I do want to look something up and see if it is on Ebay cheaper than the shops. If it is I blitz all the matching items put them in my watch list and wait. You often get more of a bargain by watching as sometimes when people see a bid they want it more. So if it has no bids with 1 hour to go I can usually guarantee it will be mine.

The other thing to do is have an ebay budget.

Good Luck

Louise

[Deleted User]

I was completely addicted to ebay and at one point I became a power seller. I was buying items in the states and selling them and my dining room looked like a packing station. I began to think about the impact on me and on my isolation doing this away in a different room from my DH. One day I decided enough was enough because, quite honestly, life is too short

The only way was cold turkey. I gave all my bits and pieces to oxfam. Bag after bag and they must have got loads of money for them. The community boards on ebay were also addictive so I just did not log on. The craving grew less. Now I can log on if I want an item, I get the number and put it into auctionstealer at my max price. I then walk away

I have got to admit that this site is also addictive so I have to make myself walk away from here at times.

kathfisch

Takeover,
I sympathise with your addiction because I too had this kind of problem about a year back. I did not spend too much money, thankfully, but it certainly wasn't essential spending. What worked for me was having my lightbulb moment and starting to take pleasure in not spending money, rather than the (very shortlived) pleasure I used to get from buying things. For me it was a gradual process of understanding the emotional reasons behind why I was spending money and then deciding not to any more. That sounds simple and, in a way, it is. All you have to do is have some self discipline and stop, easier said than done but still.

Do you consider that you've had your lightbulb moment? You say you are doing things right in other areas which is great. Question is, are you at the stage of still trying to justify and explain away spends or are you on the lookout for ways to save and getting satisfaction from no-spend days? If the latter then thats great but maybe it doesn't sink in to you that ebay money is real (sounds silly but thats how I felt sometimes). Try imagining whether you would make the effort to go to the shops if you knew that item was available there for the same price. How would you feel walking in and buying it for that money? I found imagining this made me realise what I was doing, I've never been a fan of spending cash! Also, if the money you don't spend will go to pay off debt, consider how much interest each little bit is saving you and how even the tiniest amount can help to bring forward your debt free date. You can use the snowball calculator (don't have the link I'm afraid) to work all this out for you.

Some other tips: if you can afford it out of your budget make a specific ebay budget (of a small amount like £5 or less) and make that your allowance for a treat for the week. Then you have to consider carefuly which thing you want the most and not buy everything. You might find it easier to cut it out all together though, cold turkey! When I decided to get on top of my finances I signed up for internet banking on my current and savings accounts and now I check them first thing when I log on, not ebay. I also helped a friend by changing her password and not telling her what it was (only to be done with someone you trust obviously, and someone who won't give in to you!). After a few weeks she had got out of the habit and asked for her password knowing that she wouldn't get into the habit again. Habits are comforting, after all, but once they are broken its much easier to keep it that way!

Sorry if this has been a bit of a rant, I don't mean to be harsh at all. I just think that people forget what they are capable of (in your case, stopping spending) and turn small problems into big ones that can't be overcome. Examine (honestly) how determined you are to stop, remove the temptation as best you can, keep posting here for moral support and you'll do it, no problem!

Best of luck

Kath

bank_of_slate

Hi takeover.

Next time you feel the urge, simply go onto the Freebies-no spend required forum on here!
there are loads of things to be had and you get the same feeling of wondering what the postie will bring!
...Linda xx