Updated: August 29, 2020
There’s nothing wrong with spending money on things that will make our life easier, better… happier.
What’s actually wrong is spending money on things that you cannot really afford.
So instead of having an easier, better, and happier life, you end up wallowing in misery over a huge amount of debt from your overspending.
Fortunately, it’s never too late to change.
And the first step is to identify your spending triggers and address the root cause of your bad financial habit.
Five Types of Habitual Overspenders and How To Address Them
People who shop when they’re depressed.
Shopping helps them feel better, at the expense of their budget. If you’re this person, avoid retail therapy and instead talk with a friend or someone you trust about your emotional issues. Sometimes, doing volunteer or charity work helps too.
People who get a “high” when they’re shopping.
They believe that shopping is their only source of joy. If you’re this person, find and discover the other things that bring happiness to life. You can start a personal project that requires creativity. Or exercise, this works most of the time, plus it’s healthy too.
People who spend too much on little things and then wonder why they’re broke.
First of all, stop using your credit cards and start paying only in cash. More importantly, keep a small notebook, or use your smartphone to track all your spending so you can pinpoint your impulse buys and avoid them next time.
People who spend more than usual when they’re with friends.
If you’re a social spender, then you should realize that the reason why you’re going out is to spend some quality time with your friends and not spend money you don’t have. Remember that true friends will not judge you on how much money you have in your wallet.
People who buy things just because it’s “On Sale”
If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. When the time comes that you actually need it, trust me when I say that it will be “On Sale” somewhere. Remember that shopping malls regularly hold a sale every payday, so don’t be fooled by this marketing tactic.
Are you a habitual overspender? If so, which one are you? Confessions are welcome in the responses section below.
I love the crazy animated pics 🙂 Made my morning sir fitz! I realized what kind of spender i am 🙂 shopping = dopamine
I used to be an impulse buyer and tried to change the habit by scheduling my shopping only once a quarter and timing them when shops are on sale. I also avoided bazaars and made an effort not to buy cheap items that are of less quality and bought at stores at high quality. Since they are more expensive I tend to buy less items and it helps me avoid ending up with things I never or hardly use. Before I buy something I also try to think 10x if I really need it or if I will use it at least once a month. I also don’t follow trends so I only buy gadgets for example when mine is broken or I give it a year when prices have gone down before I buy. When I started saving over 10 yrs ago I paid all my credit card debts and paid all monthly dues in full to avoid interest. I also have a financial tracker forecasting income and expenses for the next 5 yrs which makes it easier for me to decide if I can make big long term purchases. It allows me to plan since I know when I will need money. As a result I don’t spend extra money I have today because I know I will need it sometime in the future. When I did all of that I became financially independent.
Oh my! I shop when I am depressed and I like buying stuff on sale!
Emotions really matter and plays a great role. A true fighter fights and doesn’t give in to emotions easily. Common example: a guy goes on a drinking spree because of earth-like problems. This is a tough challenge indeed 🙂
Well I’m none of these types. I’m more of a minimalist – I don’t like spending too much and carrying around too many material possessions.
For me I think it’s the fourth one. I find it hard to say no everytime my wife request for something even it’s beyond our budget. Good thing, she now handles our fun fund for our guilt free spending. 🙂
I do shop more when I’m with friends, actually, I always notice this but I do nothing to stop it. I admit I only spend much money for their satisfaction but I’m not really happy with it. I even went on spending for liquor and cigarette sticks and doing them just to be with them. That ain’t healthy. It reduces my money and fractions of my life. Now, I really must not do that habit.
I think I am also the number one. I do shop when I’m alone and lonely. Then the next day I try to figure what made me buy such possessions.
I used to be an impulsive buyer few years back. I felt so much joy everytime i buy ‘stuffs’ on sale. I got huge debt on cred
Me and my husband used to go on sale that was 3 yrs ago. Used our credit card to purchase. But when we started learning financial literacy we focused on closing our credit card and thanks God our habits changed as well from spender to saver. Having mentor in financial planning is really helpful.
Now, we focus on building a Christian family God as center seeking His guidance – bringing our marriage and children to God..We believed financial wisdom will follow.
[…] Whether you’re just hanging out or out to buy something, do go to the mall with a shopaholic. You’ll most likely buy something on impulse when they […]
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Actually, we are so occupied with two new start-ups and anticipating the re-opening of our existing three business ventures, we have little to no spare time to go out wasting any free cash we have. When my wife and I first became a couple, my house was, to be honest, sparse on furnishings and decorations. My new Bride really did make this old house into a home, that is a fact!
Now, while building our two latest business ventures during the 2020 Pandemic lock-down, we have had to do a few things a little differently. For one, as new equipment for my Wife’s on-line business began to arrive at our door, we had to begin deciding what could be removed from our home to create ample workspace. YES, it only took a few short years to accumulate WAY TOO MUCH stuff.
It was not that difficult of a process. We reasoned that workspace + proper new equipment = profit vs storing old, out of date and in some cases broken items that earn us nothing. I do love to tinker and repair as much as I can but we really had to seriously take into consideration the value of our workspace and what it will earn for us.