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LittleJem

Visionary
Jul 3, 2019
2,402
Dear all

I am always spending too much money and I don't have a budget - and for years have just put my head in the clouds and not looked at it and got myself into debt and bought things I don't need.

Does anyone have any tips of how they got their spending under control? Thank you :)
 
Nexuno

Nexuno

Specialist
Dec 9, 2020
301
bought things I don't need
You know that most of the things you buy are unneeded and this is probably your starting point: every time you feel the impulse to buy something just think at the last thing you bought and observe how now it appears "useless/unnecessary" (it works 100% for me XD).
 
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Sensei

Sensei

剣道家
Nov 4, 2019
6,336
You know that most of the things you buy are unneeded and this is probably your starting point: every time you feel the impulse to buy something just think at the last thing you bought and observe how now it appears "useless/unnecessary" (it works 100% for me XD).

Same here. Since I started thinking real hard about what use I'll have for something before buying it I've spent much less money and my economy is better, knock on wood.
 
LunarPyotr

LunarPyotr

Похорони меня возле МКАДа
Jul 4, 2020
492
I would recommend you to create a excel spreadsheet (or download a template) and list there all the stuff you buy.
If you don't have Microsoft Office, then just download OpenOffice. It's a free alternative and does all the things that MS Office does.

After listing all your stuff, you can decide what you don't really need and write down all the future purchases you plan to do.
That's how I manage my money and it works very well for me
 
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Sherri

Sherri

Archangel
Sep 28, 2020
13,796
Dear all

I am always spending too much money and I don't have a budget - and for years have just put my head in the clouds and not looked at it and got myself into debt and bought things I don't need.

Does anyone have any tips of how they got their spending under control? Thank you :)
I was In debt once. Well still am, but I got in touch with a company, that combined all my debts into one, that company got I'm touch with my bank and credit card companies, and combined 3 debts into one, and that company spoke on my behalf to the banks and credit card companies and pretty much said. This is what my customer has to afford for now. So the harassment from them stopped. And I'm paying a little amount that will take ages to pay, but at least I don't have to worry about those debts. Hope it works out well for you if you have that option available in your country.
 
T

Tired_Tired

Student
Nov 25, 2019
160
Let someone control your life just like prisoner or slave.
 
H

H2H2

Specialist
May 31, 2019
320
Ideally , if your spending habits are not a way to cope with something else, you want to learn to budget. There are different methods of budgeting so you may want to try a couple of them until one clicks. If you dont know how to Excel, you could try YNAB or similar as a starting point. Its more or less a spreadsheet hidden behind a graphical interface based on a method of budgeting where , at the start of each month, you allocate every penny you earn to something.
On the other hand, if you buy things as a way of coping, money management is much harder in my opinion because your brain is going to rationalize and trick you into spending just like with any other addiction.

Anyway, two that I can think of that sort of worked, a long term commitment and a quck fix :

- The long term commitment is trying to balance the amount of time you spend consuming ( passsive ) vs producing ( active ). If you are bored, depressed, lonely, etc, money management is to some extent attention management imo. YOu want to find a hobby, education, lifestyle change, etc to take. Doesnt matter if you go on a buying spree when you first commit to it ( lets say writing or gardening ). Its usually going to be worth it from a spending point of view by the end of the year and as time goes by the spending per hour decreases drastically. It only works if you dont take flying classes or any other expensive hobby.

- The quick fix is keeping the items for a couple of days in the shopping cart before hitting the buy button . Its slows the process of buying and bring the tricks your playing to yourself and merchants are palying on you to the surface. You are going to get upset about loosing that deal or not buying that thing that is no longer in stock a day after just to find a week later that you could not care less. When you go through the motions dozens of times, just like with any other learning, the fallacy of all starts to sink even if you are not paying too much attention. It also works ( I think ) because it lets the process of buying be only until the very end when it hijacks it. So you are not deprived completely of the distraction, dopamine, etc of buying and property.
 
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aeon

aeon

XIII
Dec 6, 2020
1,358
I have two simple rules, I don't spend money I don't have and always keep something aside for emergencies. Always worked for me.
 
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Nexuno

Nexuno

Specialist
Dec 9, 2020
301
I have two simple rules, I don't spend money I don't have and always keep something aside for emergencies. Always worked for me.
Kudos!! :D That is the most difficult part! Big spenders are incredibly skilled in finding excuses to spend that cash.
 
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LittleJem

Visionary
Jul 3, 2019
2,402
Kudos!! :D That is the most difficult part! Big spenders are incredibly skilled in finding excuses to spend that cash.

Yes! I justify all of my purchases in my head! But literally, I spend so much on non-essentials then more on food. I am on a minimum wage...

My mind is working better for about a week thanks to rTMS, so hopefully I can get it in line. I will make a spreadsheet tomorrow of my spending and report back (if I may) to help myself crack this nut.

Thanks everyone who commented with your wise advice x (I hope you don't mind the kisses - I am in a better mood at the moment and in a better mood they come naturally)
You know that most of the things you buy are unneeded and this is probably your starting point: every time you feel the impulse to buy something just think at the last thing you bought and observe how now it appears "useless/unnecessary" (it works 100% for me XD).

I like things because they are beautiful and homely and cheer me up - so that is a tricky angle! Homeware, food, clothes of good quality....I have an eye for things above my budget!
 
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