Trigger Happy

CAFCGirl

Hi All,

Was just wondering to myself, after a horrendous days spending, how people went about figuring out what triggers them to do what they do!

I dont even know what happened with me today. I got up early, walked to the post office, and local sainsburys simply for oreo cookies, came out with more............
then came home and had loads to do today, have done about 20% of it......... then went to drop something off at work, and ending up spending another £35!

Now given my current situation, I simply cant carry on doing this and I'm starting to get very VERY angry with myself..........
So I guess I'm just looking for advice on how to control myself, or to know that theres anyone else out there as stupid as I am?

Please god, tell me there is!

BT_man

CAFCGirl wrote:

or to know that theres anyone else out there as stupid as I am?

No, I'm not that stupid...
sorry, in a "mean" mood today...

GreyPilgrim

I've taken to leaving my wallet at home when I go to work so that I'll eat the stuff I've taken AND NOTHING ELSE.

Never go food shopping when I'm hungry as I'll buy twice as much as usual

But the best way is to beat yourself with leather when you get home if you spend to much. It's great fun

CAFCGirl

I'm not sure what kinda of conversation I've started here.

Thanks very much BT, we'll leave that there shall we? lol

Beanietdc

My advice would be to stay in bed.... it's what I do and I haven't spent a penny today! :rolleyes: :rotfl:

Jolinar

First of all you're not stupid

Second it's a hard habit to break is spending, like GP said leave the wallet at home. Take just enough cash to get what you need, leaves no room for frivolous spending.

I spend too much when I'm bored or unhappy, so tend to avoid the shops then. HTH

CAFCGirl

If only I could...............

I was just wondering how you go about what triggers spending.

I wasnt feeling particularly down, depressed, self conscious etc..........
Which I thought was my trigger.........

Now I dont know what it is....................
and even worse, how to counteract it!

EmsyBun

Been lurking for a bit, but thought I might be able to help on this one as I found a really good book that helped me a lot in the past - it's called "Consuming passions" by Ellen Catalano and Nina Sonenberg and basically it helps you identify the roots of the shopping compulsion and provides ideas for overcoming it depending on what the "trigger" is. It involves quite a bit of work to start with as you have to take a questionaire round with you to fill in as soon as you feel the urge, and you have to do quite a lot of soul searching which can be uncomfortable, but I found it really thought provoking and it helped me sort out my spending habit - well, most of the time anyway !

Obviously I don't know your situation, but I think that depression and stress are often only the outward signs of what is causing them (if you see what I mean !!) rather than the issue in themselves. What I mean is, if you have "needs" that you meet by spending when you're down, those "needs" are still there when you're up, in fact I find I actually spend more when I'm up as I want to prolong the good feelings !

Anyway, if you think it might help I'd be happy to lend it to you if you pm me your address - it's got lots of pink highlighter pen all over it, but still usable I think !

frugglewump

My biggest one is procrastination. Working from home I found it hard to get into the swing of forcing myself to work - popping out to the shops for a "wander round" got me out of the house and feeling like i'd done something with my day - that was expensive.

Figuring out my triggers for me was a question of looking at 3 months statements & working out where i was when bought something & how i felt at the time.

CAFCGirl

Not too sure I could handle much soul searching!
lol

It's good to know that people share the sentiments though. Since I thought I knew what the triggers were for me personally, now that idea has gone up the wall, I was wondering what everyone else thought of it?

Is it just a case of getting out of the habit of spending?

CAFCGirl

frugglewump wrote:

Figuring out my triggers for me was a question of looking at 3 months statements & working out where i was when bought something & how i felt at the time.

Sounds like a jolly good idea that one!