Spending Money to Make Yourself Feel Better

jet77

I am halfway through the MSE debt and mental health guide and never put the 2 together before. But am realising that I do do this and wondered if anyone else does too?

For example yesterday I had a roast chicken in the oven but the kids were hungry and instead of peeling potatoes and finishing off the roast, I somehow justified it in my head to spend over £30 (when I'm not sure I have the money for the end of month bills yet!!) on a Dominoes take away and then fell asleep before chicken had cooled so it's been on the side all night and is wasted now too.

I had a complete breakdown earlier this year and am now on "happy" pills. If I am late taking them by a few hours it completely messes me up for at least 4 days. Is anyone else in the same boat?

Thanks,

Jet

glitter_fairy

I am the same

jet77

and then do you feel loads worse because you've spent money you shouldn't have spent?

I'm bad with food too and comfort eat and then feel crap and lose self confidence cos of my weight

sharronej

Yes absolutely the same, I've been battling our debt(mostly from my husbands business) for three years and I've found I am really bad at spending little and often through eb*y and am*zon - it adds up really quickly and you forget what you've bought until it comes out of the bank a few days later! Also I was really furious early this year to find that my husband had taken yet another loan out behind my back for 6k so in temper I spent 6k on doing up my lounge - just my lounge, what a ridiculous thing to do but I was so fed up of having nothing for myself or the house and it does look nice . but I feel sick at the thought that I've spent so much money. I have now made a decision that I will not take on any more of his debt which is why my signature will only show the debt I'm paying off although as I said most of it is his and if he gets into a mess again which he is doing - cc back up to 6k well he'll have to sort it out himself :mad:

On a daily food front my biggest issue is that my freezer can be full be I either can't be bothered making something or I don't fancy what we have in so buy something else instead.

You are definitely not alone!

glitter_fairy

jet77 wrote: »

and then do you feel loads worse because you've spent money you shouldn't have spent?

I'm bad with food too and comfort eat and then feel crap and lose self confidence cos of my weight

Yes, i hate myself after.

I am the same with food

Dex

I too do this... Some months I meal plan and everything goes well and others I can be in tesco's buying allsorts because that's what I fancy and then I end up throwing loads out...

I'm also terrible at spending when I shouldn't I find that every time I get close to paying off all my debt I spend a chunk on something so that I'm almost back where I started!!

The amount of times I have justified things because I deserve them etc, have been really good... have had a rubbish day... I think it will always be a bit of a struggle

and the guilt after, is rubbish....

krustylouise

I, unfortunately, do this too. I go for months without meal planning and racking up debts and feeling quite chilled out and almost ostrich like {head in the sand} and then realisation hits and I spend the next 2 weeks stressing meal planning, buying budget everything and formulating a plan to pay things off, and then I seem to lose track of things again.

Going through a break up at the moment, so feeling quite low and financially as a household we've taken quite a hit. Also diet wise my body has never been worse :0/

x

lesgeo2012

I was the same, still have occassional bouts of going on a total retail blowout. It is completely linked to self esteem. I was buying stuff to cheer me up! Even seeing takeaways as a 'treat' to make me feel better. But it is short lived and you dont feel any better a few hours later when the guilt sets in. It's hard but you have to start looking at the triggers.

heartbreak_star

Set small targets. Meal plan for a fortnight, knock £10 off your grocery bill, or try for at least 1 NSD a week. If you try and do everything at once you'll fail. Remember to check for whoopsies in the supermarkets and shop late - me and OH got 2 large cooked chickens for £2 each that made 4 meals for both of us

Regarding weight, ditch the scales and find exercise you like or a challenging plan you will stick with. Insanity changed my life and I have lost an inch each off my waist, hips and chest and got muscular...but haven't lost weight per se.

Good luck everyone

HBS x

jet77

Thanks so much for posting everyone ... it's such a relief to know that others do this too. Definitely agree re justifying it by saying to yourself "We deserve a treat" with takeaways more than anything because we have to eat. But being debt free would make me feel good, however it just seems such a long way off while today is now x

lesgeo2012

Jumbo_Cod wrote: »

i have aabout £40,000 in cc debt now and about £30,000 left on limits over 10 cards. just going to wrack up as much as I can then walk away. screw the banks..spending like there's no tomorrow!

Good luck with the fall out! Your gonna need it!