[Sakura13]

Okay, so, I'm sure a lot of you have probably dealt with this so I'm hoping someone might have some good suggestions because mom's only suggestion is, "Don't use your credit card". She doesn't understand it's not that easy.

I have to have a credit card. I'm a college student and it's the only way I can pay my bills. The problem is that it's so easily accessed for food which is something I'm really bad with. I spend way too much money that I don't have on food and after having gotten my credit card paid off entirely about a few weeks ago... I'm already back up to around $300. Now some of that is actually from expenditures my parents are covering (such as gas for their car) but most of it is simply from buying food and compulsive spending.

Thankfully it's not that much higher because it could be a lot worse.

What are some ways I could potentially try and avoid using my card? Do any of you have ways that work for you?

[cashart10]

I just want to let you know that I can relate. I have spent over $600 now over the last two to three weeks on clothes and accessories and my little family doesn't have the money. It will be a burden to pay for all of this. That said, we just got a check in the mail for $650 from an accident I was in almost 2 years ago. Coincidence? Is there a way you can take out cash? Or does that cost money on your card? If so, you could take only the amount of cash you need with you. Maybe put a note in your wallet by the card as a reminder when you are tempted to spend too much? I hope you find an idea that works so you can keep it under control!

[Sakura13]

It's really helpful to be able to read and see that others go through the same thing. It's really hard to deal with and unfortunately I don't have the money to take it out. I've tried locking it in a box but my problem is that we have a lot of places that deliver food here so I just get up and dig it out to pay for it. I'm trying to set specific amounts of money aside but I don't know. ):
Maybe things will work out somehow on their own. I'm not sure.

I have been terrible with spending on junk food... but its not BP related... it is just I had no time to buy/cook/clean groceries with my course over the last few weeks.

Are you sure this is BP related and not just a lack of control out of (for lack of a better word) laziness?

[scatterbrained04]

Do you like to cook? I've found that meal planning really helps me. When I don't plan I tend to spend too much on food because then it's just too easy to eat out, and that gets expensive. I just went through a couple of weeks where I didn't plan and spent a fortune at restaurants.

I plan out what recipes I'm going to cook for the week and stick to it. For example, last night I made a whole chicken with a couple easy (and cheap) side dishes. Tonight the leftover chicken will be turned into a pasta dish, which will likely yield leftovers for the next day. I have about 3 meals planned after that. I look and see what is on sale and try to plan recipes around that. It takes a little time but is so worth it.

[Sakura13]

I'm 100% certain this is BP related because impulse control is usually connected to BP and the way it happens with me is not your general lack of control. Sometimes I just do it and don't realize I've done it until after it's been done.

I meal plan, yes. (: I'm actually going to the store today to get some more ingredients and also some cool tupperware to freeze things in. I'm hoping that it will help encourage me to spend less. I'm very much a compulsive buyer so it's hard.