[Br0k3nW1ng3d]

As I anxiously await my meds to settle, I have found that I keep having crazy spending sprees. I know deep down inside my husband and I are up to our necks in hospital bills right now yet I cant stop myself from buying things. Does anyone else do this? How do you manage to curb the desire to spend?

[~Christina]

Do not have cash or credit cards available to you.
If you are absolutly bursting at the seams to go splurge.. Ask hubby for 10 bucks and go to the "everything is a dollar store."

[hamster-bamster]

Lithium has completely erased that desire. But it is a medication, so one cannot predict individual response and your mileage will always vary.

But seriously, on my last trip abroad I bought absolutely nothing - zero spending.

[Bipolar mom]

I have an issue with spending too. I am not in debt thank god, but seem to buy stuff I don't need quite often, which makes saving almost impossible... My husband is terrible with money so I can't even rely on him to control it. I've gotten better, but still need to curb it better.

[Br0k3nW1ng3d]

Originally Posted by Bipolar mom

I have an issue with spending too. I am not in debt thank god, but seem to buy stuff I don't need quite often, which makes saving almost impossible... My husband is terrible with money so I can't even rely on him to control it. I've gotten better, but still need to curb it better.

My husband and I are in the same boat. I find that somethings I buy are really just stock piling items. I grew up in a house where things were tight so I always worry that I wont have enough food or clothing. It doesnt help. I also get obsessive about collecting bizarre things. the most recent was herbal teas.

[Seaswept]

I also have big-time spending issues and urges...so much so that it contributed to the filing of bankruptsy (how do you spell that?). I have gone into furniture stores and bought whole room-fulls on credit wtf. bad. So I can relate.

I like more's idea though, it is fun to go into the dollar store with a set limit of cash.

What helps me too, is if I go to Walmart or somewhere like that I do not get a cart, that way when my hands are full that's it... pay and go.

Originally Posted by Seaswept

...What helps me too, is if I go to Walmart or somewhere like that I do not get a cart, that way when my hands are full that's it... pay and go.

Haha, so true! I do this at the grocery store too. Always reaches a point of wanting nothing more than to get to the checkout and get the heck out of there! (Bonus points for making it there without dropping anything or having your fingers go numb, lol.) It's especially handy at the big warehouse stores, because you can navigate a LOT faster w/o a cart.
(Besides, being focused on the carrying discourages browsing.)

Also agree with "if you don't have it, you can't spend it". Another thing I do is not look! That was a big help getting Ebay under control. Oh yeah.

Edited to add: And not having a credit card. Can't possibly spend what I don't have.

[kitty004567]

I'm great with my money! It's when I have my dad's credit card that I have issues with overspending. So I try to visualize how upset he will be and try to leave his credit card at home if I can. My parents were always the type to throw money at the problem (me) so trying to break that habit has been really hard. There was literally one day where I was having a bad day (right before or after I was diagnosed) and my dad handed me $100 cash to "make me feel better."

[away]

I blew my important savings in a year or two. I had many expensive interests, I won't cover all but I was interested interested in lasers... I managed to spend a about 2 thousand on those. If you ask me today I have no idea why but at the time I was obsessed.

Originally Posted by Br0k3nW1ng3d

It doesnt help. I also get obsessive about collecting bizarre things. the most recent was herbal teas.

At least it wasn't LASERS.

as i've mentioned on a few threads i believe, i did have a time where i was mannic where i spent, in a day, £500 on amazon.

so then i ended up with a tin of cat food, a bag with a picture of britney spears on it, a couple glass ornaments of angels, a dvd of the history of the british railway, and some other stuff... most of i just baught because it was on screen, don't really need it.

for 1 thing i don't even have a cat- so the cat food is hopeless

[hamster-bamster]

Shattered sanity, if I did not see British pounds in your post, I would have suggested shipping the cat food to me (three cats).