How do you stop unnecessary spending? Tips/ideas

LookingAhead

Quitting the smoking - hooray! :T I wish you well with this.

lynzpower

I like to use want/need.

But I like to think to myself "WWMD" or "what would martin do?"

Mind you I expect Im way tighter than martin PSML

frugalpam

lynzpower wrote: »

I like to use want/need.

But I like to think to myself "WWMD" or "what would martin do?"

Mind you I expect Im way tighter than martin PSML

Wow - you've been debt free since 29th Jan 2007 - congratulations !!! :beer:
Just seeing that on your sig. is a hell of an incentive for me to keep working on getting rid of my debts. Thanks :T

Pam

Becks_in_Debt

oops_a_daisy wrote: »

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

Somebody else like me, I refuse to get £10 out the cash point for a loaf of bread as I will then waste the other £9 of it, god knows where, it just disappears on crap, but I like my Debit card, and £5 here and there soon add up, just my luck I will leave it at home and need it urgently. Although was embarrassing whan I put 39p on my card for batter mix once lol:rotfl:

I am in the process of opening loads of bank account (only can take money out from a cash point, i hate cash points, so hoping it will stop me from spending on stuff dont need) 1 for petrol, 1 for food, 1 for my pocket money, 1 for OH pocket money, then will have my main account for all bills and debts. OH thinks it is a rubbish idea and will get confused, it is worth a try though, and I do internet banking so will make it easier to see where all our money goes.
Also I dont agree with going shopping with friends, my friends dont understand the situation we are in and how skint we always are and a trip to a pub for lunch is fine to them, but I have to buy me and DD lunch and really cant afford it, plus they go on if I dont buy anything, so I end up spending to shut them up, shop on my own is best, I hate shopping these days, I used to love it and buy a whole new outfit every weekend, cant remember the last thing I bought myself these days.

MushyPeas

Hiya. Cool thread, thanks

I've had a few weeks of needless spending so I've withdrawn £10 from the cashpoint and I've challenged myself not to break into it for as long as possible. For some reason if I have a note in my purse it feels worse to spend, as opposed to change. Also stops me going to the chocolate dispensing machine at work if I don't have change!!

Good luck all. MP x

Spendaholic_Chick

Nothing new here - I think of how many hours it would take me to earn the amount, and lately I've been thinking 'will this be on ebay or freecycle in a few months?' and that usually kerbs the desire to spend!

Loosechange

Snow_White wrote: »

Every time you're tempted you could try visualising whatever it is you're saving money for e.g. if it's a house, imagine being handed the keys the day you complete the purchase. Imagine opening the door and going in, looking around and thinking "This is all mine". It works for me, but it's early days yet!

I love this tip. sometimes i spend so much thinking how I'm never going to be able to afford a house that I forget about how happy I'll be when i finally get the keys.

Yorkielass

Yesterday I needed a red onion for the thing I was making for dinner as I'd forgotten to buy one last week (oops) popped into Tescos and managed to come out again with just 1 onion costing 9p - very impressed with myself - no other purchases at all - think that's got to be a record for me and tescos - I have the receipt which I think I'll keep in my purse so I know I can do it!

donna73

to save spending so much money on food i go to lidls more often, theres less there to tempt me than tesco!

also the thought of dragging my 2 little darlings round the shops puts me off clothes shopping, ends up being a nightmare rather than a pleasure

i also think about how much the carparking is going to cost if i go into town, and that puts me off going, its such a rip off, and feels like money for nothing

redballoon_2

I think of it in a slightly different way. I perfer to think of it in
" I prefer my money going towards my debts so i can be debt free quicker instead of the shops getting richer quicker"
sort of way

Some other tips i can think of, is write down how much you owe on a peice of paper and put it in your wallet/purse so you see that figure everytime you open your purse to buy something.

Re-evaluate your shopping basket before you go to the check out and ask yourself if you need everything you have picked up.

Can I get this cheaper on ebay? Make it myself? get it on Freecyle? Is there anything I can sell on ebay in order to get the money for this and make a profit as well?