If you don't have the available funds to go completely coaco for coaco puffs, you just do less damage. I've been hypo plenty and manic plenty and spent much much more than I should on stuff I shouldn't but I did not spend it all. I have my kids to feed, I can rationalize that much. But it still is money I would have normally not spent and money that I really needed for actual living. Normal me would not make those kind of choices, neva!

Normal me is extremely frugal and cheap.

If you don't have credit cards and don't have large sums available, and are normally very good or tight with money, or are living in poverty you may just not spend it all. If you are hypo and not manic you just might be able to squeeze some rational in there. If you have been conditioned to always watch your money very carefully, you might not spend every last cent whether hypo or manic. Plus not everyone gets the bipolar gift of extreme overspending. Just like not everyone gets the rage.

If you were hypo tho there would be other symptoms present at least one or two. Not just isolated spending too much I would think. I would look at that, and then I would look at making a budget and watch my spending a little closer either way if it was hypo or irresponsible, better to just treat both the same, and be aware of your spending so hopefully you won't end up in a spot you can't undo. And yes make it difficult to spend it.

I am very aware that if I blow all my money there is no rescue available to me. One false move and I could loose everything and be homeless, it has always been that way for me and I have been homeless, maybe that is why I stop myself short of spending it all, I dunno. Since having kids my impulsivness has been mostly directed at things that will not cause great harm. No more risky stuff for me.