So instead of paying my phone bill and water bill on time,I spend the money on clothes, that I don't even need. It's not the first time I've done this before buying things just makes me feel good about myself, for a while that's until the guilt kicks in. My financial situation use to be better before, so when I shop I feel like I use to. I need to stop I know that I just don't know how?
Hi Sashee30, just a few years ago I was where you are now and I can tell you that you can absolutely stop and get out. The key is to really stop cold turkey, I did. I realized that shopping was temporarily filling an empty void, but when I would get home all that I would feel is that same emptiness and more stress on top of it. For me, buying something became a reward that I had to earn and deserve, and I only do it when I really can afford to do so.
It's key to stop and assess what void you are trying to fill with shopping. Have you ever talked to a therapist?
Thank you for your support. I have not seen a therapist, but I have thought about it, and for the past 3 days I haven't shopped and that makes me feel better. It feels good to know that I'm understood.
You are definitely understood. I totally and completely understand what it is to try to fill a void by shopping. I am so thrilled to hear that you have done 3 days without shopping, that's amazing. Please stay on this strong path. But, please don't forget to work through what's going on emotionally, because you don't want to suppress that. I really dug deep and spent time working through what was making me unhappy and made changes in order to find healthy and positive fulfillment.
I too have been battling an overspending problem. I've been doing a lot better over the course of the last month. I haven't stopped shopping completely, as that's almost impossible, but I've cut my spending way down and stopped using any credit cards.
You'll get there too. Find someone in your everyday life to share this with and be your support system... and come here to vent and share your story too. Set small goals for yourself - like just not unnecessarily shopping for one day, then one week, then 1 month. That helped me a lot. If you fall off the wagon, get right back on. Don't give up on yourself. You deserve happiness.
Best of luck to you!!