Advice On Curbing Compulsive Spending

by JohnG

posted on 09/22/2009

Some people get a thrill out of skydiving. Some are exhilarated deep-sea diving. Others can't get enough pizza and beer. And then there are those who can't seem to buy enough "things." It doesn't matter what those things are -- they are just symbols of deeper issues that manifest themselves through compulsive spending.

Perhaps you're one of those people or maybe you know someone who is. In the past, you could pretty much guess who had a compulsive buying habit, because they'd be at the shopping mall during every spare moment, coming home with bags of shoes, clothes, make-up, jewelry and other items that they definitely didn't need and really didn't want. It was the "thrill" of the hunt. Nowadays, compulsive buyers are not so obvious, because they can get the same thrill by doing their shopping in secret -- online.

The aftereffects of these shopping adventures usually included credit cards that were maxed out and a sense of guilt and regret within 24 hours of the spending spree. But nevertheless, another shopping adventure would follow during the upcoming weekend.

So how can you curb your compulsive spending? Here are a few tips.

Acknowledge you have a problem.
Regardless of what the vice may be, people who have issues need to admit that they have a problem before they can fix it. Therefore, you need to admit to yourself that you are a compulsive spender. Once you acknowledge this fact, help is easier to get and accept ... and it is more likely to work.

Examine the problem.
Try to figure out whether you constantly have to spend, or whether it is as a result of stress, or boredom, or fatigue or some other issue. Do you spend on anything and everything, or just on one specific type of item, such as jewelry, cosmetics, car parts or CDs? This will help to focus where you need the most support.

How do you feel when you spend?
Do you feel lonely when you go shopping? Are you depressed? Does shopping boost your ego and make you feel important? Are you trying to get back at a spouse or parent who might be trying to control you? Examining feelings is an important part of breaking this cycle.

Reallocate your time and resources.
If you analyze how much time you spend shopping, you will realize that you are missing out on a huge chunk of L-I-F-E. Get involved with and schedule activities that will take up more of your time and keep you away from temptation. If you fill your life with fun and worthwhile activities, you'll have less time to spend shopping, either online or at the mall.

Pay off your credit cards and cut them up.
If you don't have any credit cards, then all your transactions will be cash only and that will be a big hindrance in terms of what you buy and how much you can spend on it. If you are swimming in debt, see a debt counselor who can help you work out a play for paying your bills off in a controlled manner.

Getting to the root of your compulsive spending is the only way to curb it completely. Otherwise, you may be spending your future away on things that have no intrinsic value and which are ruining your life.

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