Do You Tend To Overspend?

[Changing4Best]

I have had several overspending sprees throughout my life. I will try to be frugal and for awhile I can manage this. Then sometimes I get these wild urges to buy things. Sometimes I cannot prevent myself from buying them. Then my budget is all messed up and I end up not being able to buy something essential. Does this ever happen to you?

 

[Truthful_Whispers]

I can have that problem. I have been trying to work on it for a while now, because I am currently on a budget. I can be impulsive, especially when I feel manic. For me, the thought of not having money to feed my animals, or get the supplies that I need, helps me resist the urge to overspend. It's no fun being broke.

 

[Bees Are Awesome]

I am not a spender. My husband does the finances so I never really know how much money we have. Because of that I'm afraid to spend in case we run out of money and can't take care of our children. However, the other day I out of the blue bought 4 pairs of shoes online. I love the shoes but inside I feel super guilty. I have hidden the boxes to take them outside to recycling when he is not here. I don't think he would be mad, he would just wonder why I had to buy 4 pairs of shoes at once. :cautious:

 

[Friday]

Yes & No.

It used to. Part of the whole 'Eat, drink, & be merry...for tomorrow we shall die." kind of thing. I had a fat life insurance payout that was divided amongst everyone I loved, so my family & dearest were taken care of. Since I always planned on waking up dead? No reason not to spend money like water.

Once I finally got around to the idea I might see next week, fatalism had pretty strongly etched its way into my spending habits. I could maintain a budge for awhile, and then... f*ck it.

What "fixed" that problem? Budgeting around it. As in planning for going off my nut and spending money like water for awhile, as well as the same thing with anxiety and stress... Bleed off the impulse in small controlled doses periodically :D

 

[jaccat]

No, I do occasionally go mad and buy loads of stuff at once, but only if I know I have the money to spend. Too many years going without have made me extra cautious with money. My dad, on the other hand, used to have the occasional mad spending spree, and he wasn't so good with money. He went bankrupt once, and a local paper printed an article about it. The artile was titled The extravagant salesman. He was weirdly proud about that.

 

[illusionist]

Nope, life has taught me to be careful and the future is uncertain, so I try to look after my immediate future. If I do splash out I spend maybe £5 in a charity shop for something I genuinely need.....I get such a buzz from a bargain and the anticipation of saving for and buying something big is such a great feeling for me....feels like a major achievement.

 

[Ronin]

Nope, I underspend. If I can fix the thing I'm having issue with by myself, I'll do it. If I can't, I'll find some other way to deal with it for as long as possible. I don't really spare on food, but I buy cheap.

Utilities & accessories & stuff, unless it's gear? I'd be damned to not find a way to make it cheap.

(I think part may be in how I find joy, though. If it's things making me happy? The same lil stuff will last with me for years. Most often it's people & information & sensory stimulation making me happy, and that all doesn't require much spending.)

 

[Gadgie]

I have discovered that going out doesn't mean having to spend money, so what I do is leave my wallet at home, and just carry enough to buy what I'm going out for.

I hope you know what I mean, as I've just read that back to myself, and it doesn't make sense?

Since I've been living alone for the past few months, that my spending habits were changing, and I was just buying for the the sake of it. I think it was a "comfort thing" but my new technique seems to be working.

 

[Changing4Best]

@Gadgie I understand what you are saying and it does make sense. So I put just enough money in my purse for this week's groceries and I left the rest out of reach in my bank account. I will maybe even leave my bank card at home. I think this may help. Who knows, maybe I will even have a bit of money left over, if I don't get too excited about anything at the grocery.

 

[Changing4Best]

It is good to know that I am not alone in my spending habits. I see that some of you also tend to overspend. I have been kind of manic lately, so that may be at the root of my overspending problem too.

 

[Kailani]

no, I'm pretty good except when unforseen disasters happen, floods,injuries, cut hours; then i get into trouble; need to learn the art of saving someday when i have an appropriate income along with having the best insurance. Tend to overspend on pets, birthdays; guess an emotional spender. Otherwise i am right on track and ahead sometimes. Love deals so always looking for the deal; love garage sales, craig's list, good thrift stores, 99 cent store, swap meets; basically any good deal. To curb my urge i will walk into 99 cent store and say i can buy any 10 things-that helps with preventing bigger mistakes.

 

[Mallaky]

Yes I did that in the past. Now I am happier and have fulfilling things to fill my time with. That was the big difference for me. I spent to feel some fun and happiness. I have gotten back to my hobbies, and shopping sprees dont happen anymore.