How do you stop unnecessary spending? Tips/ideas

frugalpam

I umm felll off the wagon on Saturday and had a bit of a spending splurge - £75 on stuff I didn't really need. I've wrapped it all up, got the receipts and am going back today to get refunds! I forgot to say my usual mantra (picked up from this Board) which is.......

'Yes, I want it - but do I really need it?'

I told a friend of mine (I've converted her into a DFW!) and she said that she visualises the item she wants in one hand, and the cash cost in the other hand, and asks herself which hand she wants most of all - and the cash hand always wins!

Anyone got any other good tips?

Pam

Softstuff

I tend to see things in terms of hours worked. So if something costs $14, that's an hour I have to work for it.... and the thing is seldom worth an hour at the job I have!

immoral_angeluk

I have to be able to totally justify anything I buy.. usually goes by
Can I afford it
Do I need it
Could I go without it
Would the money be better spent on something else

yellowmonkey

Hi.

I could do with some advice as well. Went into Morrisons for fruit and salad for tea and ended up spending £29 :eek:

I really must get to grips with this budgeting

YM

Skint_Catt

Mine is basically 'can I live without it?'

Lidl have promotions on next week for hiking gear. In June (fitness dependant) I will be climbing Snowdon. I could spend £30+ in Lidl next week - however, I have t-shirts (don't need a 'specialist' shirt to put one foot in front of another!), I have very comfy walking boots, my OH has a flask and torch and a rucksack, I have fleeces etc so I can live without more stuff that I'll only have to sell on ebay eventually anyway! :rolleyes: so by not buying any of it, it's two less things I have to do (go to Lidl then resell it!)!!

Catt xx

frugalpam

Skint_Catt wrote: »

Mine is basically 'can I live without it?'

Lidl have promotions on next week for hiking gear. In June (fitness dependant) I will be climbing Snowdon. I could spend £30+ in Lidl next week - however, I have t-shirts (don't need a 'specialist' shirt to put one foot in front of another!), I have very comfy walking boots, my OH has a flask and torch and a rucksack, I have fleeces etc so I can live without more stuff that I'll only have to sell on ebay eventually anyway! :rolleyes: so by not buying any of it, it's two less things I have to do (go to Lidl then resell it!)!!

Catt xx

Good for you! :T

I bought sandals as part of my spree on Saturday - at the time it felt like I couldn't live without them. (They're being taken back for a refund, btw., along with the rest of the bling I bought) Came home and rummaged in the wardrobe and found a pair I'd got in the sales last yr, almost identical.
In the past I've given away tons of clothes and shoes to charity shops or sold them on ebay - much better never to have bought them in the first place!

Pam

oops_a_daisy

some really good tips here :T

I try not to carry cash about so it makes me think twice when I have to go to the cash point although this one can backfire if I use my debit card instead hmmmm think I need to re think this one and leave my debit card at home too :T

Skint_Catt

It works for everything except food when I'm starving on my way home from work - then I just think I'll die if I don't buy something :rotfl:

Catt xx

scubaleopard

Just dont go to the shops--- you never need anything when you are out walking or doing something useful or pleasurable at home

annie-c

I did a car boot sale recently. After 'giving' away clothes with tags still on for 20p and 50p I feel 'cured' of my shopping addiction for a while. Even sale bargains, aren't really so if thet £4 skirt that never really suited me gets sold unworn for 50p a few months down the line.

Taadaa

When I see something I like, the first thing that pops into my head is, will I get bored of it before it falls apart on me?

The answer is nearly always yes I will get bored of it, so then I think of how much I will get on e bay for it, compared to how much I'm paying.

Then I walk away, because it's too much money to part with for just a few wears, and for someone else to grab it at a bargain price. And I would be left further away from being debt free than I would be if I keep my purse firmly closed.