Money Problem...

[Polly_Princess]

Money hoarding is one of my obsessions and when it comes to the "big stuff" I'm good at saving my money. I don't buy $600 handbags or $450 shoes or anything. But I waste SO MUCH on the little things. I'm always buying those "little" impulse purchases that add up to hundreds and hundreds in the course of a year. You know the kinds of thing: Starbucks coffee most afternoons, a bag of lollies, a seemingly "cheap" impulse shoe purchase that you never wear e.t.c. Things that seem like nothing major at the time, but when I look through my bank statement, I'm plagued with guilt about throwing away money.

How should I control this habit? Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[EscapeArtist]

Actually I can relate. As a teen who's unemployed... I only come across so much cash, and when I have it I immediately spend it on some health foods or herbal supplements online that are gone in a week with my money. It's sucked around 400 dollars out of me this past couple of months, I'm nearly broke and could really use the money now because my family is low on food and not fairing so well with cash. I feel so guilty... and it causes me extreme anxiety and worry for the future. We are obviously searching for something little to look forward to each day, so other than finding something that can replace that, I can offer you no tips :/

 

[fitftw]

everyone has a vice. Mine is candy (pound bags of Skittles and Reeses Pieces every week or two...) as well as car parts. And I don't even go to the racetrack. I just spend thousands for parts that make my commute to college more fun. Sure it's weird. We're all weird.

My advice is to try and make a budget. Keep track of your purchases if you really care that much.

 

[Ignace]

My dad has the same problem. But mostly he only buys things that he can use. He do has some things he never used and which are relatively expensive. But his biggest problem are women. Before this girlfriend he sometimes gave money to women from foreign countries to come to Belgium. Offcourse they were scammers but he didn't know. So he lost around €6.000 at those women in total alone. (Never spend money through Western Union, it's untraceable) Now he knows it's just throwing away his money. So instead of giving it to strange women he now gives it to his girlfriend which is only with him for money and gifts, and he doesn't know. This girlfriend already cost him over €10.000. This is including a looot of shoes and jackets. Fortunately, I learn from his mistakes and I'm the most money-saving-guy on the planet. Trying to compensate his mistakes.
So back on topic: I can't tell you that much, only that you should know what you're buying and you actually need it. Don't buy in an impulse, it's easier to walk by it then you think.

 

[guessed]

yes, I have the same problem.

What I do is add up the reciepts from impulse buys for each month. I realized i'd spend $100 in march $150 in april on nothing but impulse buys.

Also, I began noticing that I went shopping when I was bored, lonely,stressed, or felt like I just HAD TO HAVE a certain item! Now I try to find other ways to deal with those feelings.

hope that helps

ps: it takes awhile to get into the habit of recording your spending habits and finding other ways to deal with the feelings that make you want to shop, so don't be hardon yourself if you slip up.

 

[Vecis]

My problem is that I am not working but studying so I own my parents money. But I spend money on books and old medals that makes me feel guilty. I wish I will get my own money sometime.

 

[Feathers]

Princess, I was doing this when I had a crappy job I hated - so I was doing it to overcompensate I guess.. And I was thinking, 'Ah, I have this job anyway, and it sucks, at least I can buy something pretty...' (I could spend a lot of money on things like pretty notebooks or little decorative objects or such..)

Then I realized I was not gonna work at this job forever (I didn't want to!!) and I started writing down my money: income and what I spent it on... And I was shocked how much went away on 'little things'...

Also, later on I read/heard how some things I bought were perhaps problematic and could be toxic (like cheap pretty little china from China could have lead in it) and I went for 'zero waste' lifestyle: to be as environmentally friendly as possible and make as little trash as possible... (Some of those notebooks were pretty unrecyclable too!) and sweets have wrappings that are often unrecyclable too, at least where I live... And shoes - yup, they can be problematic to recycle or can't be recycled... So you just end up buying trash and filling the already-full closets... (We have a clutter problem at the house..)

So that pretty much cured me of spending. Except for Amazon/Bookdepository. I still buy books. Trouble is our libraries here don't have the many useful and cool books one finds online...

Can you write down 'trigger situations' - do you buy sweets when you're hungry? Do you go to Starbucks for company or for coffee? (you could make your own and bring your own flask - much more eco and cheaper that way..)
Lollipops are really bad for your teeth anyway... I just don't buy or eat candy... Chocolate is another thing. Craving for chocolate can mean you lack magnesium, so if that is the case try to put other food with magnesium into your menu. And make sure you are never hungry when going past or into a shop. Having a list of what to buy and only buying what's on that list helped me big time too!

 

[Waybuloo]

I don't see why you shouldn't buy starbuck coffees and lollies if they are the little pleasures that make your day ;p Unless of course you are saving for something. With impulse buy clothes and shoes, I find it useful to save a link of the hting I want and keep going back to look at it, the desire usually subsides over time. If you still strongly want something after a while then you should rewards yourself

I find that when I worked I hardly spent any money, but when I am unemployed the money is spent like water.