Help - addicted to spending

lihar

Hi

I know I'm not alone but I cant stop spending and my credit cards are out of control. I know I need to make this change to my lifestyle and i cannot sleep and feel sick and anxious all the time because all i keep thinking about it the balances i have outstanding. I want to stop and although I am not ready to tell my boyfriend/family/friends, I want to tell someone, someone anonymous who might be able to offer some advice on where to start. I wanted to go to a financial advisor but they cost more money than I'll ever have available and I don't know what to do.

I'm panicking.

Can someone logically please tell me where to start? I hope there's hope to get out of this :-(

Calchas

Hi there lihah.

Post this on the Debt Free Wannabe board, rather than the credit card board.

My reasons for suggesting this are not pedantic: you will find all sorts of help on that board.

Good Luck

clarence83_2

Facing up to my problems myself was the best thing I have ever done. I have never told my partner about the problems, nor my family. Sorted it all out myself. Very empowering taking control.

I wish you all the best of luck, and it's not as scary as you might think, it just takes time xx

Calchas

Here's the link:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=76

epsilondraconis

Hi Lihar, as Calchas has already indicated, it is best to post on the debt free wannabe board.

They will ask you to provide a copy of your statement of affairs (SOA). This is basically a list of all of your income and expenditure. See the link below.

http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Good luck - the first step is sometimes the hardest...

Idiophreak

First thing to do is stop giving yourself a chance to spend. Stay away from shops etc, don't look in shops online. Find something else, cheaper, to occupy your time instead.

Rattlesnake_2

Hi lihah!

I know how you feel i just checked my statment today and the amount has creaped up. The problem is i thought it would be ok to spead a little bit here and there. So i am going to go home tonight and find somethings to put on ebay and sell . Good luck lihah hope you get it sorted soon.

PROLIANT

My recommendation to you before the "get out clause brigade" jump in and start spouting misinformed financial advice to you, is to contact your credit card providers and ask them to block your accounts until such time you have regained control of your self. Explain your situation and I am sure they will be more than happy to help you.
This way you can't spend what you can't afford to pay back and it should help you re-train your mind set in to a more disciplined and controlled state.

Good luck.

Regards

Proliant.

never-in-doubt

PROLIANT wrote: »

My recommendation to you before the "get out clause brigade" jump in and start spouting misinformed financial advice to you

Ahh think this guy means Unenforceability which, factually, is not misinformed advice but perfectly legal advice. He wouldn't understand though, lack of cells.....

However - it wouldn't do the OP any good thus we have not posted.

Calchas

never-in-doubt wrote: »

However - it wouldn't do the OP any good thus we have not posted.

If anybody knows exactly what this means, will they please let me know?

never-in-doubt

Calchas wrote: »

If anybody knows exactly what this means, will they please let me know?

He was referring to us (maybe even specifically me!) as the "get out clause brigade" and I simply said it wouldn;t do the OP any good thus we never posted - i.e. Unenforceability would not be a good option for the original poster therefore the "get out clause brigade" haven't posted! :rotfl: