Need someone to scream at me!!!

tigermoon

All of the above is good advice. Think twice or even three times before buying anything...ask yourself before you pull your purse out "will this get me closer to or further away from my goal?" Takes a bit of practice but it's definitely worth it in the end xx

Oh and don't worry about idiots like the above, they are the ones who need to grow up.

GeorgieFTB

Right *** rubs hands together then cracks knuckles***

I'm not going to scream, hurts my throat too much...

You need to figure out what works for you, take everyone's suggestions and try them, if they work keep them if they don't drop it... you will figure out what works...

For me it is only taking the money I need... if I'm poping down to the local shop for milk I only take enough for that, otherwise I can spend a fiver on a pint! If I'm out to work then only my bus fare... If I don't have it then I can't spend it...

Altho I can go to a mall and not spend a penny!

Gx

DVardysShadow

Keep a spending diary and fill it in the moment you spend the money. It will reinforce the idea of thinking about everything twice before you buy it.

Mrs_Potato_Head_2

No screaming, you are probably doing enough of that to yourself and its not changing anything.

If you keep spending there could be a few different reasons for doing it. Either your life is disorganised, you like spending cause it feels good or probably a bit of both.

What really helped me was:

1) Going through all my financial stuff and having a good look at what I spend and on what. To learn this I keep a spending diary and I have a page just for 'bad' spending (buying stuff I don't need). You would be amazed at how quickly you learn where your weaknesses are.

2) Set my life up in a way to not fail. I have three different bank accounts with different banks so I can't see my money for bills or saving and what I don't see I don't have the urge to spend. If lunches are a problem, learn to pack a lunch as you make dinner so you don't have to do it in the morning. Don't keep any money on you and leave the cards at home. You can't spend then.

3) Give yourself pleasure in a non-destructive way. Personally Im finding it quite fun to shave a bit off here and there from my spending and this site is a brilliant resource for that. Plus I enjoy the feeling of control and maturity handling my finances gives me. But by setting a goal and rewarding yourself when its done is a great motivator.

foxgloves

There's an old saying that goes something like this: "The definition of insanity is to do everything the same but to expect different results".
Fact 1. You know you want to manage your money properly and pay off debts.
Fact 2. You have identified where the problem spending occurs.
Option: You can either make a budget based on what you can afford to spend and stick to it OR you can continue to self-sabotage and choose to remain a poor money manager with debts. It is a choice. If you choose the latter, you are ACTIVELY CHOOSING to stay in debt. I can't think of any situation in life which is improved by being in debt & I'm sure you can't either. The spending habits you describe are exactly how we used to be, but not any more. It is definitely possible to change & become debt-free. You just have to decide that you are no longer going to choose debt & overspending as an option and mean it. Some extra unplanned bags of bits & bobs from a superm arket & lunches you can make yourself for less than half the cost OR feeling in control and becoming debt-free? There's no contest is there?

tescomilk

Does you mobile have a camera on it?

Try taking a quick photo of each thing you are about to buy but don't buy it there and then (excluding milk, bread essentials). Do tell yourself you are getting it, just not right now

Come home and then go through the photos on your phone. Some things will seem great, either in price or useful. However a lot of what you have snapped will be crap that you don't need. Its amazing how silly but relieved you will feel later. Removing yourself from the impulse buy environment (which shops works so hard on) helps you to make way better decisions.

Of the things left you do need check out the online prices on mysupermarket or argos websites/amazon etc.

Nowadays i'm meaner than mean when it comes to spending. I actually hate how companies make money from me so much that I never pay over the odds for anything. :money:

Bored

I use a 'spending money' account (just a basic account with no overdraft but with a visa debit card) which contains only my spending money for the week, and I leave my credit cards and current account cards at home to stop me impulse buying. The good thing about it, is that I have to mentally calculate how much money I have left and other things I still need to buy for the rest of the week, and just that stopping for a second and thinking about it is enough to put me off buying it.

Hopefully you can find a system that works for you soon.

goodgirl80

AAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAGGGGGG
GGGGGGGGGGGGH
HHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHH
HHHHHH!

you're welcome

kataklysm

Hahahah GoodGirl beat me to it

To be fair, it's probably not all your fault. Advertisers and supermarkets design life to be this way. Every time you walk into a supermarket or watch TV, you have someone whispering in your ear... "BUY ME!!!!!!!" Oh, you can make a list sure.. what about this 3 for 2 on yoghurt? and look! This t-shirt is only...£8.... They assume we're weak. WE ARE WEAK! We want ALL the lovely things!! But you must resist... Sometimes it takes an actual physical effort to breathe deep and say "No! I'm not buying that Hummingbird solar lamp on a stake..although I really really want one.." Someday you can have these things guilt-free - once you are debt-free.

Trouble is, it isn't all about debt management. I'm sure you are quite capable of seeing that you're spending more than you have. And if you aren't, then buck up! Make your own lunches/stop buying random crap/keep a spending diary etc.
But... when you've been fighting debt for such a long time, it just.. gets tiresome.. I hear what you're saying. You just look around and think "well that needs fixing, that wants replacing, I wish I had one of those.. sigh" Capitalism has taught us that we NEED nice things to make us happy - you do not. While you are in debt, your life is on hold, and they want to keep you that way..

If you haven't already, try a No-Spend challenge. Go a whole weekend without spending anything. Lock the card away, buy absolutely nothing. Plan meals ahead, stay out of shops and do something to take your mind off it. Get to the root of WHY you feel the compulsion to spend. Is it boredom? hunger? stress? It's remarkably difficult, but you'll be astounded at what you'll learn - and save.