Can I get a little help?

elfen

Queen - I've been trying harder with the NSD challenge, I'm getting proud of myself when I have an NSD, and trying to make myself do more. I know I should have at least two maybe three this week (I'm going to aim for 3!)

sortingmyself

This might sound a bit off topic but have you had a thought about seeing your GP if you feel that you have such a serious shopping addiction? If this has put you into debt and you feel like it is taking over your life perhaps you should have counselling or at least ask for it. The length of time you have to wait for this varies dramatically depending on your NHS trust but its worth trying.

This won't necessarily work but it you are trying to employ other strategies to avoid buying things unnecessarily it might help you out trying to find the actual reason for your spending.

A

fruitycar

Ames wrote: »

I disagree about spending cash instead of card - I find that if I take out a tenner because I need something at about £2, the rest just disappears.

Oh for the days when you could take just a fiver out of a cash machine.

niccatw

Loads of good advice given already.

Re. books - have you tried swapping books via http://www.bookhopper.co.uk/ (UK based) or http://bookmooch.com/ (World-wide - which ups the postage). It does mean you need to be willing to part with and post your books to folks, but it also means you can request books from others depending on either the amount of books you have or points you have accrued. And you get post which isn't a bill :-) I spend hours looking for books on these sites :rolleyes:

timmmers

An easy way for you to feed your love of shiny new things for no cost is already here on MSE http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=72&order=desc

If may seem a silly thing to suggest, but look at that top section "I won I won" ...and at everyone's sigs (like mine), and you'll see that we do rather well winning all sorts of stuff by co-operating as a group. Little and large luxury items like CDs /DVDs books clothes makeup holidays etc and non essentials are the meat and veg of competiton prizes. It's a great hobby and a lot of fun when things turn up in boxes or emails arrive ...satisfies that urge to blow hard earned cash.

SInce this is a debt free section of MSE and people struggle to pay bills and the like...this may be a thread worth having a look at that's happeneing right now:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2169201

We keep the thread updated with names selected to have their bills paid, so no need to listen to the radio show yourself. Several times a day the selected random names get any bill under a grand paid as the prize ....how nice would that be for nothing ?

I'v won at least one thing every day this week (including today and it's 6.30am still lol ), nothing massive but it doesn't half cheer you up when you know postman pat will be coming

Just a suggestion ..hope to see you there one day

t

sammy115

Hi elfen

I agree with the cash thing...to me when you spend on a card its not real money stupid i know but its how my mind works.

Another suggestion which may not be relevant to you as you are a student and not at work, but maybe you could give yourself an hourly rate..... If I want to buy something I always try to work out how long I would have to work to earn it. It soon gives you a perspective on whether you can 'afford' it or not.

I also agree with the gp thing, I used to spend and buy nice things and it was only when I went to counselling that I realised I was trying to satisfy my emotions.

I can convince myself I need anything, but I have got better over the last four years I have been on here. Rome wasn't built in a day.....stay on here keep plugging away and you will get better.

elfen

Oooh, the book swap things and the giving myself an hourly wage sound quite good ideas to be honest.

I've started on the freebie and the compo bits, but not won anything yet (I don't think anyway)