[SourCandy]

I used to have great credit and a high credit score.

I used be able to go into a store and only buy what I needed and nothing else!

But for the last few years I've been on and off severely hypomanic and my life had went downhill!

I maxed out my credit cards!

I ran down my bank account!

And was even overspending on Loved Ones cards too!

Would anyone here like to share their stories of Mania/Hypomania spending?

"Thanks"

[scatterbrained04]

I don't have any crazy stories, but I racked up over $17,000 in credit card debt. It'll take me probably 10 years to pay it off. I also have $12,000 in student loan debt, half of which I probably didn't NEED to take out. It's further complicated by my anxiety about being on the phone with people to set up payment options. I ignore them when I shouldn't.

I have a lot of regret about all of it because I can't afford to take my son anywhere fun most of the time. I always have to tell him no. I don't think I will ever own another credit card, and I if I go back to school to finish my bachelor's, I'm going to pay as I go.

[Unrigged64072835]

When I was manic several years ago I refurbished my house with all kinds of knickknacks. Then I got depressed and gave them all away. Fortunately I was able to get out of that debt when I sold the house.

[BastetsMuse]

I was a mall shopping fool when I was manic, and took out a credit card my husband didn't know about. We were making good money back then, so it didn't impact us much.... a few years later and after a divorce, I had a mania due to steroids and ruined my credit and am still paying that off (and it was only $5,000, but now I'm on disability).

The size of mania spending is really dependent on your income and credit rating, I think. These days, $100 could ruin me for a month! So when I start feeling manic, I hand all the money over to my hubby until things settle down.

$100,000 in 20 months

Jeep $30,000
trailer $16,000
Two kayaks and equipment $4,000 a piece (yes, I know, ridiculous)
trip to Europe $4,500
outdoor gear (snowshoes, camping, climbing. rock climbing, hiking, speelunking) $2,500
various adventures, trips, holidays ($3,000)
weekly visits to pubs with friends and aquaintances which I covered - no wonder I was popular - $10,000
living 'the life' 7mos not working - remainder of money
went bankrupt and lost it all

[lunaticfringe]

I've spent over $5000 in the past 4 months. I received the money as retroactive payment for SSDI and now it's completely gone, mostly spent on trips, going out, and online shopping.

[GoldenSnitch]

I didn't have any big spends but it was a lot of little things over time that added up. We just did a consolidation loan of $14,000 in mainly credit card debt. Some of it was from when I got laid off and then went on maternity leave so we had little income, but a lot of it was just foolish spending on nothing (buying stuff for my daughter that she really didn't need, clothes and books for myself, really nothing major but too much of it and I didn't have the money for it). At least with the loan it will all be paid back sooner, and all of our credit cards are closed except for 1. It feels much more manageable.

[cybermember]

In 11 months I'm running a grand total of $17,000 spending debt with the last major purchase being $1700 for a twin mattress (tax included!). A couple of hours before the mattress buy I was in the pdoc's office requesting a med increase because I'm off the hook manic and proceeded to back up my claim with my apparent symptoms. Thankfully, she agreed this time because when I asked for a med increase several months before she said she didn't think I needed it because she felt I was doing fine even though I was in the midst of a major house build and a move. THAT was the trigger for me!

[buffalodc97]

I didn't accept my condition until my early 30s so I destroyed myself financially in my twenties. Mountains of unpaid debts ,and damage to my credit. I couldn't get a bank account for years because I overdrew multiple bank accounts and maxed out all credit cards. I'm a guy and can admit I'm a shopaholic. And I did crazy spending on clothes, very expensive dates, and mountains of DVDs, Video Games, books, unused food, and comic books and drinking. Luckily after getting sick of being down to my last dollar every payday I woke up on spending frivolously. But it took a long time.

I bought a car during a hypomania and i don't like to drive. I hurried the salesperson on thru the purchase agreement so i could go on a date. I signed the papers with so much vigor i tore them. I crashed soon after and returned the car with a $3000 penalty fee.

Thankfully i haven't gone into debt but i've squandered several lump sums. I blew my disability benefit settlement of $65K on junk. Buying things at the local department store was my hobby. This was after i got rid of the car. I bought two sets of jumper cables just because they were on sale. Wha?

[Cocosurviving]

After my onset but before diagnosed out the blue i started wanting to shop all the time I started out blowing through my saving account. I was on medical leave to find out what was going on with me. I would leave from the therapist and head to the mall. Keep in mind while on leave i was not getting 100% of my pay. I was diagnosed and moved out of state them cashed in my 401k of $10,000 and blew threw it. I had someone give me $1,500 during Dec of last year. I blew through it. I bought a $350 purse, spent $100 in Bath and Body Works, I bought clothes and shoes. Back in March I came into some money from a car wreck. I did a few good things. I bought some new tires for my car. I saved $1,200 to make my car payments for three months. Then I bought a $500 purse.

[BipolaRNurse]

I spent my family into bankruptcy...not once, but TWICE. I collected antique carnival glass, decorative plates, purses, clothes, you name it, I bought it. I ruined my credit and let my student loans go into default. Still I spent money like it was going out of style---I'd drop a couple hundred in Bath and Body Works, a thousand in Walmart, several thousand in furniture stores. I even bought a new car on an impulse.

Now I worry about hanging on to what little money I do have and counting every penny. I'm medicated quite well and I think that's helped a lot. I've also agreed with my husband that he can take my bank card away if/when I get manic.

[alieninshadows]

I have a bad spending habit. Not severe but bad enough that I have to really keep myself in check.
There's been some regret. All my inheritance and a large sum that my mom endowed on me when I was trying to look for work the following year. Turns out it takes me 5 months to burn through $10,000. This money could have gone towards a career, my own computer, an activity for my daughter. I feel guilty about that one, sometimes. I could have saved it to use as a down payment on a house. I hate renting so that was a real kicker. At least I don't gamble. But I have a big habit of buying take-away and little things that don't last. I feel almost too comfortable when I have money and I always think, eh what's another $10? I feel anxious at the same time. I feel eerily comfortable when I don't have money, too. I feel like I can't lose anything. But when I have money I feel like it's constantly at risk to get stolen in some hack or scam. I don't trust my bank.

[gina_re]

I wasn't fully aware of my condition until my mid 20s. Before that...spend, spend, spend! I bought three cars within five years, just on impulse. I had 7 credit cards and ran just about each one to the limt. I ended up with over $20K in unsecured debt. I couldn't keep up with the payments so I filed for bankruptcy. And I couldn't even really tell you what that money was spent on because I don't have anything to show for it.

[polesapart]

Watched Frozen Planet documentary -> purchased a trip to Antarctica within the hour. Including the last minute flights cost around $25,000. Certainly my biggest single purchase!

I bought my ex-b a car.

I had the means and I cared for him very much. However, I did it very quickly and impulsively.

I do things impulsively and expensively all the time. Thank God I can cover most things (eventually). I haven't maxed out my credit cards lately,but I owe about $8000 at the moment.

[Kitty13]

I've been suffering from depression, anxiety, and a lot of other issues for a long time. I found a comfort in spending money and buying myself gifts. It got so bad i would get multiple packages a day. Sometimes I wouldn't even remember what i ordered. Of course i don't really go out to the store to shop because of my social anxiety. I really only leave the house to work. I make sure and do all my errands they days i go to work. But anyways, Ive spent thousands on things i don't really need. I spent $750.00 on a stuffed dog once. It's gotten out of control.

Originally Posted by SourCandy

I used to have great credit and a high credit score.

I used be able to go into a store and only buy what I needed and nothing else!

But for the last few years I've been on and off severely hypomanic and my life had went downhill!

I maxed out my credit cards!

I ran down my bank account!

And was even overspending on Loved Ones cards too!

Would anyone here like to share their stories of Mania/Hypomania spending?

"Thanks"

[Woolly Bugger]

Originally Posted by polesapart

Watched Frozen Planet documentary -> purchased a trip to Antarctica within the hour. Including the last minute flights cost around $25,000. Certainly my biggest single purchase!

How was your trip?

[earthangel1]

I received 10,000 in inheritance and spent all of it in the last two weeks because I'm very manic right now. I now don't have a job and my gas got cut off so I'm using a space heater. Luckily I'm getting 10,000 from a stock my dad bought me when I was a kid. Hopefully my mania will end by then so I don't waste all my money again.

Originally Posted by bpenniman

I received 10,000 in inheritance and spent all of it in the last two weeks because I'm very manic right now. I now don't have a job and my gas got cut off so I'm using a space heater. Luckily I'm getting 10,000 from a stock my dad bought me when I was a kid. Hopefully my mania will end by then so I don't waste all my money again.

Can you you buy a stock or CD or something so the money is unavailable to you?

My therapist always recommends a certain budget so I can put money aside to spend if I get manic. Kind of an allowance, so to speak.

It might take investing some so you can't touch it until later.

[touched by fire]

I was utterly consumed by off road desert racing. I spent a couple years barely sleeping, building and racing cars.

I cleared out well over 100k from my retirement accounts.
Didn't pay my mortgage for over a year 25k
Spent every freaking spare penny after neccessities of my paycheck for the year 70k
Didn't pay my taxes for 3 years

I still have my family. Nearly lost my job. Lost my house (duh) and here I am a few years later still trying to mop up after that mess.

[Cocosurviving]

I have a cousin that has a payee over his disability. That keeps him in check

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[Victoria'smom]

I'm doing tons of shopping right now on line it's all stuff that has to wait till next month because I spent all my money on an xbox one.

[polesapart]

Originally Posted by Woolly Bugger

How was your trip?

It was absolutely amazing! The scenery and wildlife was just spectacular. Although I would never normally have spent the money, I'm glad I did.

60k in a year. Paid off every month. I am poor now lol

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