Do you find yourself compulsively spending money you don’t have on things you don’t need???
If you do, you’re not alone. I’m writing this article because so many of our Lifestylista sisters have written to me asking for help with this.
5 STEPS TO HELP YOU COPE
1) Admit what’s going on.
It’s much harder to cope with an addiction when you’re in denial. Tell your family and close friends the truth so they can support you. Ask them to step in when you are about to lapse… Tell them it won’t be easy because you might get defensive, angry, impossibly hard work but beg them to help you all the more because it’ll be harder for you to beat this without their help.
2) Don’t use checks or credit.
These payment methods can help you to forget that you are actually spending money. If you must buy that hair / dress / handbag, then make it as hard as possible. Hand over actual cash to the shopkeeper!
3) Keep a spending diary.
Write down EVERY SINGLE THING YOU SPEND or use a free expenses tracking program like www.mint.com . Even a coffee or a lunch – write it all down and at the end of the month, you’ll have a MUCH better understanding of where your money goes…
4) Don’t tempt yourself
Would a recovering alcoholic hang out at bars and pubs??! Well don’t hang out in shops! Don’t window shop. Don’t just “visit a sale for information purposes only” LOL. Avoid the places you are the most tempted.
5) The 30 day mind trick 🙂
– See an item you want… Something you ‘must have’. Instead of buying it immediately, STOP YOURSELF.
– Keep a wishlist on a piece of paper or on your computer. On your wishlist, you’ll write down the date and everything about the object of your desire 🙂 e.g. the Clarks Shoes you found at Store X for $Y.
– Days 1 – 29: You can research the object, you can think about it… heck you can even dream about it and drool about it BUT YOU CAN’T BUY IT!
– Day 30: If you still want to buy your ‘must have’ item then you can but very often the urge will have passed (and you’ll be on to something else! Ha! 😉
WANT TO CHECK IF YOU’RE A COMPULSIVE SPENDER? DO THIS TEST…
According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, if you experience 4 or more of the symptoms below, you may have a spending addiction. Here are the signs of compulsive spending / shopping:
– “Shopping or spending money as a result of being disappointed, angry or scared.
– Shopping/spending habits causing emotional distress or chaos in one’s life.
– Having arguments with others regarding shopping or spending habits.
– Feeling lost without credit cards.
– Buying items on credit that would not be bought with cash.
– Spending money causes a rush of euphoria and anxiety at the same time.
– Spending or shopping feels like a reckless or forbidden act.
– Feeling guilty, ashamed, embarrassed or confused after shopping or spending money. Many purchases are never used.
– Lying to others about what was bought or how much money was spent.
– Thinking excessively about money.
– Spending a lot of time juggling accounts and bills to accommodate spending.”
If you have an addictive spending disorder, you will consistently fail to control your overspending, you will feel “increased tension” before you do it and pleasure when you are doing it…
THE EMOTIONAL PROFILE OF A COMPULSIVE SPENDER
– SELF ESTEEM: You don’t feel good about yourself and shopping is one way you try to make yourself feel better. Especially when you think the thing you want / need / must have will make you into the amazing person you’d like to be… e.g. that bag / those shoes / that dress / that hair will make you beautiful, desirable, worthy of love… someone else, someone better.
– IMPULSE CONTROL: When you need something, you just have to have it. It’s irresistible. You can’t control it. Compulsive spenders have less control of their impulses than other people do.
Girl, you might find this article a tough, painful read but I have written it to help you to help yourself. I care and I know that change is possible in all aspects of our lives: spending habits, weight, relationships… life!
You go my Lifestylista friend. I’m here rooting for you.
love
The Lifestylista
xox
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