Compulsion to Spend Money on Pay Day

flis21

Hi All,

My Husband and I are in the process of going bankrupt, we have been having money problems for a few years, but are finally facing up to it.

However still every pay day something in my brain goes 'Oh I have money, I can go out and buy myself stuff'. Ok now it is much smaller stuff, but it is still stuff that I don't really need and I could survive perfectally well without.

Why do I feel this need to buy stuff, just because there is money in my account? Does anyone else suffer from this and how do you stop it? I got paid 3 days ago and so far have managed to only buy myself 2 DVD's off the internet. I am annoyed that I bought them, but still glad that I haven't been out and got anything else yet, but I can feel this urge to go shopping this weekend and I really want to stop it.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi

Dont beat yourself up too much hun. I suppose we all do it to some extent!

Try and keep yourself busy reading, walking, gardening, cycling etc etc....whatever you enjoy.

Hardest part is admitting you have a problem...which you have...so well done.

Hugs
PP
xx

Kevicho

This is a train of thought on which you will depart after a few months of being a DFE (My analogies are getting good )

Today is my payday and ive already budgetted for the month and i will be spending £892 this month (£470 on debts, £170 on a tax bill BOO hiss, the rest on travel/phone/internet bills )

Soon you will get into this habit lol

Dr.Lou

I think it is a problem most people have....

I don't know if you have ever done this but you could start keeping a 'spending diary' and note down all of your expenditure for a month or two. At the end of the month you could add up everything that you have spent on non- essential stuff...it may shock you into stopping it.

The other benefit of keeping the diary is that you can recognise spending 'hot spots'....when my husband and I did, we noticed that the weekend was very expensive compared to the week, this is due to just popping into town and buying little bits and bobs, having lunch out as we have the day off together.etc.

So now, what we try to do is do a little research on the internet / or books /leaflets and identify places to visit that are free (nearby) over the weekend, especially those places which don't have a cafe etc. We plan to visit a place every weekend, and get out there in the fresh air...I think its working so far, and we get to spend more 'quality' time together instead of just going shopping, for lunch and wasting money.

Oh dear just read this after I posted and realised I am getting to sound really old!

Wizwoo

Hi flis21,

I know what you mean. The 2 weeks coming up to pay day for me every month is the same - I'm so good and watching what I spend then. So when pay day finally arrives it feelings like such a release / relief.

The thing that's worked for me is setting my monthly budget and taking that out of my salary (mentally at least) right away. Then I divide what's left by the number of days to next pay day - which in never very much.

What it means is that I know by splurging on the first week I really suffer during the last.

Hope you get things sorted.

loopyloulou_3

i am the same. i cant help it - i always think - oh ive been paid i should "treat" myself

now i avoid going near the shops like the plague!!! to avoid temptation...
it doesnt help that you can shop online tho!!

It is so hard to stop, I used to just buy whatever i wanted whenever i wanted it (guess that is why I am in the pickle I am in!)

Emmzi

ooooh I want to buy things too!

but, tight fisted shopping challenge for may coming up.. will feel guilty if I splurge now...

How did pay rise announcement go???

CAFCGirl

I do the exact same thing, and then wonder why oh why I've fallen into the same trap and done it all over again, and then again the next month.

I know myself I'm an emotional shopper, and since my finances have been up the spout as it were, I spend about a week really feeling the pinch and having no money at all!

So when payday comes around I suddenly feel like I must spend it because I've spent so long without?!It's crazy I know but hey this is how my mind works!

This month, I've set myself a challenge. I'm trying to see how long I can make £10 stretch. I've paid off my bank charge.Everything else I need to pay I currently have money for, and these are either on direct debit, or I've got reminders to pay them.For example Seeboard kindly offered to phone me back to take my outstanding payment of £100 this evening, just so I wouldn't forget!

This is because I'm sick of looking back over it and wondering where the hell £250 went!
The answer is, it goes on cr*p, and just because I feel like spending.
Over the weekend, it shouldn't be too bad because I'm working sat and sun.

However monday is day off, as is tuesday.So far I've got a job interview lined up for monday morning in town.So am desperate to ensure I go to that, and straight back home, no mooching in town!

Setting myself little challenges means that my mind is occupied with that, not thinking ohhh I can pop into tesco's etc.

Whether it works or not, thats a different matter

kuohu

Yup, I hold my hands up. I admit that I have a £5 takeaway on payday. But I try to be a good DFW for the rest of the month, honest

roswell

I had that problem I know look at money and goods in a different way, EG I can have £1000 plasma tv or i can keep £1000 and keep my prefectly working crt tv ..... the £1000 in the bank will earn me interest or £1000 on the tv stand will loose value. (I apply this to nearly everything bar food and cloths.)

niceshoes_2

I thought that it was just me with this problem!

I leave all my bill money in my bill account and transfer the remainder of my salary to my debit card. I've started to leave my petrol money that I need for the month in my debit card account and use the card for petrol. I then keep the rest of my wages in my knickers draw (for safe keeping!) and try and split that up into a weekly amount that I can use. I find that the less I use my debit card the easier it is to keep track of what I spend - as I don't really like handing over hard cash and it makes me think twice before I spend it!