Fighting urge for needless spending

**shoiji** · 06-26-2010, 10:43 AM

Right now I am trying to fight the urge to go out to the thrift store. For some reason I think I need more blouses. Which I do not and my closet has more than it can hold.

I keep on telling myself I need to wait until the beginning of next month.

Anyone else trying to resist the urge to needlessly spend?

**Darlene** · 06-26-2010, 12:29 PM

No blouses for you!
Sometimes things call my name too. My biggest problem today was walking away from the marked down meats at the grocery store. I have enough stuff I need in the freezer but I hate to walk away from the bargins. I made it thru though,lol.

**cheles2kids** · 06-26-2010, 12:58 PM

Yep I've been there before too, I think most people have at one point or another.

I've found if I have other things to help take up my time it helps tremendously.
Either chores that I've been putting off doing or just getting out and taking a walk helps me to refocuse on my goals and gets me centered back on track.

**cab54** · 06-26-2010, 02:26 PM

Sometimes the bug bites me, too.

If it's really bad--I play a game with myself-----I 'pretend' shop online. I shop through all the merchandise at some store I like.....could even be WM.....and I push the button that says 'add to bag'.

I just DON'T fill in the charge card area, or push the 'place my order' button.

It helps me 9 out of 10 times. By the time I am to the checkout area, (and see the exorbitant cost).....I am to the point I don't really need that 'stuff', anyway.

Even from the thrift shop.

**Nkiruka** · 06-26-2010, 06:30 PM

I agree with everyone else. Though deployed to Afghanistan, I found myself shopping online mostly from boredom. I decided to utilize my time taking online classes and decided to search for forums (like this) to help as well.

**Nkiruka** · 06-26-2010, 06:33 PM

That is soooo true!!!! Never thought of it as a strategy...very smart :-).

**akolb** · 06-26-2010, 06:38 PM

I like to go through my closet and reorganize/clean out stuff I don't wear.
If it's super organized, I don't feel the need to shop for new clothes as much!

**shoiji** · 06-28-2010, 01:10 PM

uuuhhhhhhh......... How do I say this. While out with some friends I found myself at the thrift store. It was ok since I got money back from the eye doctor. Found a really nice sweater dress for fall/winter.

**Paws** · 06-29-2010, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by akolb

I like to go through my closet and reorganize/clean out stuff I don't wear.
If it's super organized, I don't feel the need to shop for new clothes as much!

I like this idea...
Next time the bug bites me, think I'll try this...

**pollypurebred39** · 06-29-2010, 01:51 AM

I like the super organized idea too! I do that with my makeup and other girlie stuff and it really helps.

**nessarowdy** · 06-29-2010, 09:48 AM

I ALWAYS struggle with this at the end of every month. This past weekend was HORRIBLE, as we were out of town and having fun with our kids. I COULD have been more thrifty and packed more lunches with the cooler I brought when we went to the waterpark, or when the kids were hanging out at the motel while I attended a convention. But I didn't, and today I'm a little bummed to check my bank account.

I have to get groceries today, so I will shop wisely and purchase only the necessities so that I don't eat away my savings for the month! lol

-Vanessa

**mek42** · 06-29-2010, 10:13 AM

If I budget too tight and don't allow myself any frivolous spending, I find myself wanting frivolity more and more. So I budget myself a little "blow money" to keep the inner spending beast just full enough from noticing it's chained to the wall in the dungeon.

Yeah, $10 - 20 a week is $500 - 1,000 at the end of the year, but if I don't, I'm more likely to start stupidly spending $50 or so instead instead of following my budget.

Conversely, if I keep the inner spending beast minimally sated, it doesn't act up as much.

It could be I'm just weird, but this is what seems to work for me.

Having said all this, I think I may start challenging myself to keep an eye on the blow money in order to put whatever is left unspent from the blow money line item into either BS2 or my Roth.

**AmyBoz** · 06-29-2010, 10:17 AM

I keep wanting to buy things for the kids. Like a toy here, a toy there. I don't know why, as I often feel we are overrun by toys, but I keep seeing cool things I think they'd enjoy. So far, I've controlled myself, though. Something about summer and being home. When I was a SAHM with my kids when each of them were babies, I spent so much money we didn't have out of sheer boredom. There was really nothing else to do with a new baby, so I hit the stores. Now, it's summer, and my hours are less and while I'm not bored, the shopping bug does hit!

**IndigoMom** · 06-30-2010, 06:51 AM

I used to bring the items we didn't wear any longer to a consingment shop. Then that money is what I'd use to purchase things we would wear for that season/size. It kept our wardrobes rotating, and our closets de-cluttered. If there are no consingment shops, you could have a yard sale as well using the same concept. That way you're getting rid of what you don't want and making room for what you do at the same time.