Someone please perform some behavioral therapy on me.

I need to get my financial situation straightened out. All I do is is spend impulsively.

HOWEVER, I need to go through my bills today, as I am off the whole day and have no (good) excuse not to. I don't want to do this and tend to keep myself in denial of my account balance by never checking it and then one day finding out that it is overdrawn.

I start my new job as a therapist on Monday. I will be making a decent salary and things will get better (unless I blow it all). I need to use part of this day to sort out what mess I have here, with the money I do have. I need to "clean up" a few things in my life before I start this job.

These bills are most, if not all, overdue and I need to do what I can to get it straightened out. I have said that every day for the last week. I have posted about my financial irresponsibility countless times. I'm not looking at the big picture right now-- I'm just looking at what I have to get done today. Help?

How about making yourself post somewhere like here daily?

http://www.thefinanceforums.com/

Just get on with it pink!

PAY THOSE BILLS!

Get off here and go pay those bills!!! We will be here when you get done. Think of how much better it will feel to know you have them taken care of....maybe make a plan on how you are going to manage them and set some financial goals for yourself. Good luck!

Heh, that was me maybe 4 years ago! My husband bailed me out, otherwise I would be bankrupt by now. I still owe him about $25,000 plus my car.

Sit down, get all your bills together, and figure out the minimums. Just pay the minimums and get everything up-to-date so you're not paying any late fees. Then if you have anything left, pay down the highest interest rate one.

Then cut up those credit cards so you can't use them. Or freeze them in a block of ice! Seriously!!

My husband and parents have bailed me out 837439893426234354345 times. My credit cards are all cut up, but so what? I still have a debit card and if I'm not cutting that up because that's too dangerous to walk around without access to money.

How about I just throw them all out the window??

How about I shut up and get started?

OK, here's the deal. I'm going to finish eating my lunch, then call my husband as I always do on his lunch hour, then I will take care of these bills, FOR ONCE AND FOR ALL.

With any task that you don't wish to do, break it down into small parts.

Don't think about the whole task at hand.

Now, what's the first thing you would need to do, in getting ready to figure this out?

I would think you might need to gather all the bills together, or at least have a list of all the amounts DUE and when they are due.

That's all you have to do right now. You can do that. Don't think about any of the rest of the job.

Sometimes getting rid of all of them brings on an anxiety and causes a binge. Overspending, as you noted, is a symptom of something else going on. Keep working on healing, and maybe you'll find other, better, ways of consoling yourself or getting that rush, or whatever it is that you do benefit from when spending.

(((((pink)))))

I'm a spender too, and I think it's to get that....'..rush...'..

I've been trying to cut back because of the baby and I've been doing much better, proud to say..

I'm going to get that link to the finance forums and check it out...

Ok.... 3...... 2...... 1......... Go!!!!

LOL I love the sh* smiley!!

I find that opening the bills as they come in and writing when they're due on the outside envelope helps. Also, if you haven't already, set up bill payment online with your bank. Couldn't be easier.

Also, I happened across Suze Orman. She inspired me to enjoy saving, as much as I was spending.

Good luck

Definately agree with the auto bill pay. It does make it really easy. I'm not sure how big of a place you're going to work, but if they have direct deposit usually you can split the deposit so part of it goes automatically into savings.

That doesn't really help you with getting stuff done today. Could you break the work into pieces like Sky suggests and after each piece give yourself a little (non-monetary) reward? Like a snack or a workout or watch a TV show you like.

What I do is pay all the bills first before I spend any money at all. I live off $637 a month which makes it tough so I never have any extra money for clothes, shoes, etc. Just the bare necessities.

I gather all my bills and only pay the current bills (rent, utilities, etc.). Those are what has to be paid. Then with the other bills I pay as much as I can on each.

Always keep track of every tiny thing you spend your money on!!!! Don't go on a shopping spree!!! Resist those urges!!!